


Finding North

by broken_hearted_bard



Series: Daughters of Magick [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M, Multi, Season/Series 03, Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-21
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-05 13:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 51,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1819912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broken_hearted_bard/pseuds/broken_hearted_bard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in an AU version of Season Three Sunnydale.<br/>**A Universe alteration re-telling of Season Three and Four of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.<br/>Various pairings included.</p><p>What if Willow had unintentionally altered Angel's curse when she returned it?<br/>Connected indescribably to Angel, Willow and Oz deal with the fallout.</p><p>Uses some dialogue directly from BTVS. Will work with some plots directly from the show.</p><p>Birthdays for the major characters have been made up, just f.y.i.<br/>Also, I've taken course selection from the high school I went to and classes that I firmly believe should be offered. ;)</p><p>Published: 6/20/2014</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Something Left Behind or Never Found

**Author's Note:**

> This is also an Oz embraces his inner wolf fic.  
> This is also a good!Faith fic.  
> Uh.....it's also all a little OOC, just due to the fact that without direct quotes I don't get their voices entirely right.
> 
> Mentions: Rupert Giles/Ethan Rayne. Rupert Giles/Joyce Summers. Angel/Buffy.  
> Endgame: Willow/Oz/Angel.
> 
> Tiny bit un-Canon on Xander/Cordy. They've only just got back together over the summer, here. (And they break up again just as quickly, just fyi).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow, Oz and Xander start Senior year.  
> Anya is introduced.

Willow stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was pulled down over one shoulder, its ends were curled; the bronzy, red color was bright against her very pale skin. Her freckles stood out alarmingly. She slipped thin, bronze-colored barrettes into place to secure her hair on the one side and pulled the curling iron through sections that still needed curl.

There were dark-purple hollows under her eyes and exhaustion wrinkles could be made out around her eyes and mouth. Her green eyes were dark instead of bright - giving off little to no light. She looked as tired as she felt. She took a deep breath and pulled from the well of magic within her. She cast a fingertip-glamour spell on the index and middle fingers of her left hand and then brought them to her face. She rubbed them around her mouth, a little on her forehead, and swiped them under her eyes until she thought she had achieved a more normal, less tired, look. She inspected her face. She nodded. Yes, it looked subtle - like she was tired, but had had no more than one or two rough nights.

She brought her fingertips down to the valley between her breasts. She rubbed them over the shiny, puckered scar in the center. It wasn't as though anyone would be looking, but the dark-green sweater she wore came down a little low, showing the beginning of it and she'd rather not have to explain it. Being cut, in various places, had happened in her dreams. Her dreams over the summer had brought her to places she'd never known existed; nightmare worlds of torture and heat, torture and vicious cold. Lately, she'd been trying to remain awake - sleeping, now, could be deadly.

She cancelled the charm and walked through the door of her en suite bathroom to her room. She looked at her appearance in her full-length mirror. It was the first day of senior year. She'd turn eighteen in one month, Willow thought. Best not to let her thoughts wander. She shook her head and went back to studying herself. She wore a dark green sweater, although it was August (she was always cold now), matching tights and a long denim skirt with a slit up the side to mid-thigh. Her back to school outfit had been chosen carefully to reflect what was the same about herself and what was different.

Willow grabbed her book bag, locked her door behind her and headed downstairs. The house had four floors if you counted the third floor attic (which she rarely ever entered) and the basement. The second floor had three master suites - hers, her parents', and a guest suite. She kept her door locked to discourage the maid, whose day it was to come in to clean and dust, from cleaning her room. Willow liked to clean her room and bath herself, usually in the middle of the night when she couldn't (or shouldn't) sleep.

In the foyer, she slipped into her new coat; it was long and black leather with a collar. She shook it out, feeling the pockets for the protective charm she'd placed on it. She'd been practicing magic all summer. Bringing back Angel's soul had opened a doorway inside her; her body singed with power now. She flinched. Even thinking his name hurt, after being part of and witnessing the pain he'd been going through - centuries in hell; she knew she only got glimpses, at this point.

She'd joined a coven for direction, and had been pouring through books, taking tests and doing little spells like her life depended on it - which, she thought, it probably did. Without her inner well of power, she had no idea how she'd have survived the summer. Oz helped, but even he couldn't keep the demons away for long. When Oz stayed over, the dreams receded, stayed away if he was awake when she slept. Somehow, hell recognized him as a demon and her as his and kept away at night if he was watching over her. He couldn't watch over her all the time.

Willow checked her watch and left through the front door, locking it behind her. She slipped the keys into the side pocket of her bag and headed to Oz's van, which was waiting in the driveway. She grinned at him as she slid onto the passengers' seat.

"Hey," he said as he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Ready?" he asked.

Willow smiled. "Probably," she replied. 

He started up the van and pulled out of the long driveway. He turned down the music and asked, "Any sleep last night?"

Willow shook her head and then, conceding to his driving, responded verbally. "No. No. I just couldn't. I'm still not one-hundred percent recovered from the injuries from Saturday night."

Oz nodded as he drove. He put a hand on her left leg, which was nearest to him. "We'll figure it out," he replied.

"If we could just get him out of there, it'd stop," Willow said softly.

"You still don't want to tell them what's going on?" he asked.

"No. They're so worried about Buffy..." she said in way of reply.

As Oz nodded again, Willow smiled. He could say so much in a nod, a look, and she was glad she could, finally, decipher the majority of his non-verbal communication.

They arrived at Sunnydale High and Oz parked. He jumped out of the van, locking it behind him and came around to help Willow out. 

"I still can't believe you got held back," she commented.

"Well, you know..." he trailed off.

"You didn't go," she said.

"I test well," he replied as he took her hand and pulled her along, up the steps and into the halls of their high school. He kissed her gently as they parted ways at her locker. "I'll be around, if you need," he said.

She nodded and grabbed him for a more substantial kiss before he could head off to his locker or first class. As he walked away, she grabbed a notebook and packet of supplies out of her bag. She also slipped a little wallet into her pocket which contained some money, her driver's license and school ID. Additionally, she wound a necklace around her neck that she'd kept in her bag; it held five stones - eye agate, black tourmaline, emerald, tigers eye and smoky quartz. She shoved her bag into her locker and turned the dial. As she turned to head to class, she ran head-long into Xander.

Xander pulled back, keeping his hands on her arms. "Whoa there, Willow," he said casually. He hadn't seen much of her throughout the summer and he did a double-take. She looked beautiful.

"Xand, hi!" she said cheerfully. She hugged him very briefly before pulling away. It wouldn't do for him to realize how thin she'd gotten. It was one of the side-effects she couldn't glamour away.

He grinned at her. "Where's the fire?" he asked.

"Oh. No fire. Homeroom," she replied. She checked her watch. "Don't want to be late," she looked up at him, into his face, for the first time. "You should get to your first class too," she said. "We've got...Contemporary Studies together later, I'm pretty sure, Xander."

"Yeah," he let go of her and checked the schedule he still gripped. "Do you have Chemistry with Agoron?"

"I had it last year. I've got physics this year." Willow smiled gently at him and then nodded. "I've got to go," she said as she hurried away.

Xander stared after her. He knew something was different about her, besides her obvious improvement in looks, but he couldn't figure out what. He shrugged and walked down the hall. They'd get together for lunch or in the library after class; he'd ask then.

****

Willow had AP English and AP Physics before there was a break long enough (15 minutes) for her to boost up her flagging energy. She scarfed down an energy-protein bar and gulped a bottle of water during the break and then headed off to Calculus and Government before lunch.

Her schedule was hectic for the first semester, but in the second semester she'd have a free period after lunch. Due to the stellar academic record and high-caliber achievements of her previous years, she'd be done with French by January, when the new semester started.

As a senior, she could go off-campus for lunch if she liked, and seniors could bring food in from other places. With all her current health issues, she was grateful for the improved menu options. In the cafeteria, she spotted Oz right away. He sat at a table with Xander and a girl she didn't recognize. As she approached, she saw the food spread out before them.

She sat down carefully. "Wow," she said, looking at the spread.

"Sandwiches, salads and brownies," Xander explained with his mouth full, "from Costa Deli! Oz is the MAN!"

Oz chuckled and filled a plate for Willow. Handing her a plate he said, "This is Anya." He gestured to the girl Willow hadn't recognized. "Anya, this is Willow, my girlfriend."

Anya smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you," she said politely. She had felt, the moment Willow had sat down, a vast power beneath the girl's skin. Although her true-face, that of a Vengeance demon, wanted to slip out to meet the powerful witch, Anya held it back. She was here on a mission for scorned women and she couldn't allow anything to interrupt her path.

Willow grinned and accepted the plate of food. "How do you know Oz?" Willow asked Anya.

"We have English and Astronomy together," Anya explained. She took a bite of pasta salad, chewed and then swallowed. "Oh, and I think...math?"

Oz nodded. "English, Astronomy and Trigonometry," he said.

Willow applied herself to her plate; when she was finished lunch was almost over. She popped a series of pills into her mouth and gulped down water to swallow them, as was her habit. She looked up and into Xander's face; his confused expression put her on edge for a moment before she understood. 

"Aspirin, echinacea, ginger, holy basil, St. John's Wort, Ginseng and green tea - in pill form," she explained. She didn't add that there was also a prescribed mood stabilizer and a concentrated form of corydalis (a heavy pain killer). 

"What do you need all of those for?" Xander asked, surprised.

"They are probably in aid of the magicks she's using, or as preventative measures," Anya offered. "Magicks can take a toll on the body, and it's always good to ingest supplements and vitamins to boost the immune system, especially when she's so tired." The glamour wasn't working for Anya; she could see that Willow had done a lovely job, but spells and tricks rarely worked on Vengeance demons.

Willow's eyes widened, but she directed her comment at Xander. "I've been doing a lot of work, Wicca-wise. It does take its toll. Uh, I've been taking some herbs to help me, and to help focus my energy."

"If it's so hard on you, then you should stop doing it," Xander said as he rose to take the trash to the garbage cans.

"This is who I am, Xander," Willow explained. She followed him long enough to finish what she'd been saying. "I'm a witch. I'm proud of it. And I'm good at it. If...if Buffy never comes back, I can use all that I've learned and all that I'm learning to help! Plus....it's in me. It was awakened by the curse, the soul-spell," she avoided saying Angel's name out loud, "and I'm honing it." She went back to the table.

Oz rubbed a hand up and down her back. His inner wolf growled at the way he could feel all the bones in her spine, but he held it back. He could let it out in a run, later. His own agony over her situation wasn't something that needed to be shared, nor would it do Willow any good. He couldn't help her if he was too caught up in his own pain to be there for her, and he wouldn't add to it. 

"How did you notice?" Willow asked Anya.

Anya smiled, glad to be able to tell part of the truth to these relative strangers. "My background makes it easy for me to recognize magicks when they're being used," she replied vaguely. She got up. "I've got to head to class." She looked at Oz. "Thank you for lunch."

He nodded and gave a slight smile. He turned to Willow as Anya walked away. "She's not entirely human," he murmured. The wolf in him had recognized it easily. He'd brought Anya to meet Willow and Xander because he'd felt like she could fit in with the gang - since there was only one true (one-hundred percent) human left in the bunch.

Willow nodded in understanding. "I've got to get to French. I've got Advanced Computer Science after, and Contemporary Studies after that. I'm headed to the library when classes end, I'll see you there?"

Oz nodded. "Yes," he replied.

Before she could walk away, he grabbed her. His arms wrapped around her small frame as he kissed her, deeply.

Her head swam. Her body tingled. She kissed back, fiercely, before pulling away and heading to class.

"She'll be okay, right? I mean...it's nothing to worry about, right?" Xander asked Oz.

Oz nodded. While he didn't enjoy lying to Xander, he also felt like it was Willow's truth to tell; he wasn't going to get in the middle. 

"I've got Spanish, right now," Xander said as he picked up his bookbag. "I should....I should get going." He raised his eyebrows at Oz, who still stood, staring at the place Willow had occupied. "You've got Jazz Band, right?"

Oz nodded again and picked up his guitar. "Yeah. I'll see you," he said. They parted ways.

****

After school, the halls emptied quickly but Xander, Willow and Oz could be found sitting around the table in the library, pouring through books.

Rupert Giles, librarian extraordinaire, entered hurriedly. "Any luck at the Cemetery last night?" he addressed his question to the table. He put an arm-full of books down on the table. "I have to sort and catalogue those," he said dismissively.

"Uh, no...no joy at the cemetery at all. The vampires either avoided us or mostly got away," Xander replied.

"Not all of us," Oz commented.

"That's right!" Willow said as she preened slightly. "Oz dusted one all by himself!"

"Well, I gathered that embracing your werewolf might be dangerous, but I am pleased to hear that it has, in fact, helped," Giles said.

Oz nodded.

"Any leads on Buffy?" Xander asked anxiously.

"Ah, possibly," Giles replied. "A friend of mine called with a lead in Oakland. Stories about someone fighting vampires. I'll take a flight out in about an hour."

"You'll find her, Giles," Willow said. She avoided looking him in the eyes. She didn't care whether he found her or not. They were working on getting their slaying down to a routine, and working hard on actually accomplishing kills. Without Buffy, they were all turning into their own people. Although she was sad for Giles, she just didn't care if she saw Buffy the Slayer Summers ever again. She was over it; Buffy had left without a word to her supposed best friends and she'd left after sending a resouled Angel to hell. Instead of staying to understand the research, Buffy had left without valuable knowledge and had sent someone with a soul to hell. To eternal, endless centuries of torture. Willow couldn't forgive Buffy for it, even if she did somehow come home and apologize.

******************

TBC


	2. Nothing More to Say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giles and Joyce talk.  
> Willow wakes up from the worst nightmare yet; Oz helps.  
> Some dialogue taken from Anne (S3x01).  
> Some dialogue taken from Dead Man's Party (S3x02).
> 
>  
> 
> Uh...Cordy/Xander is a bit different here; they only just got back together over the summer.  
> And, I'm taking huge license with Oz's parents because I've got no idea what they did/who they are in Canon.

**One Week Later**

Giles knocked carefully on the Summers' front door. He was tired and weary after his search in Oakland, but he felt he owed it to Buffy's mom to keep her updated. Although he didn't blame himself for Buffy's flight from Sunnydale--after all he didn't control who the next Slayer became, and he'd advised against a romantic entanglement with a vampire--he did feel he was responsible for Joyce having felt out of control and out of the loop.

Joyce opened the door. "Oh. Mr. Giles," she said. She looked around him. "Oakland?" she asked as she stepped back to let him in.

Giles sat down on the couch in the living room and cleaned his glasses. He shook his head. 

"No Buffy?" she asked anxiously.

"No vampires. Bunch of schoolkids in heavy mascara listening to extremely silly music," he replied. He gave a long, loud sigh. 

"Well, thank you for going," she responded politely. She sat in the wooden chair across from the couch. "I can hardly.....leave the house. Just for work, you know. I....I'm just afraid she'll call and she'll need my help."

Giles nodded. "Buffy is the most capable child I've ever known. I mean, she may be confused, u-unhappy, but I, uh, honestly believe she's in no danger," he replied.

Joyce rose from the couch. "I just wish I could talk to her. The last thing we did was fight," she explained. 

"Joyce," Giles began softly, "You mustn't blame yourself for her leaving."

"I don't," Joyce said carefully. "I blame you," her words ended as she glared at him.

Giles stood, put his clean glasses back on and shook his head. 

"You've been this huge influence on her, guiding her. You had this whole relationship with her behind my back. I feel like you've taken her away from me," she explained.

Giles made a huffing sound, low in his throat. He went to the front door. With his hand on the handle he said, "I didn't make Buffy who she is."

"And who, exactly, is she, Mr. Giles?" Joyce asked acidly.

Giles shook his head and laughed mirthlessly under his breath. "The Slayer. A teenager," he answered as he left.

Joyce stared after him, uncertain if she should apologize or just continue to blame him. Really, though, Joyce thought, it had been her fault. She'd told Buffy to go and not to come back. She hadn't divulged that bit of information to Mr. Giles or Buffy's friends. It had been a cruel move, as a mother, but she'd been in an untenable situation - unable to understand what was going on and unable to lay down the law as a parent. She shook her head; she'd just have to live with it, for now.

*******

Willow bolted straight up from sleep, eyes streaming with tears, mouth open in a silent scream. It had been the worst nightmare yet. She looked around wildly. She hadn't meant to fall asleep. Her English and Government texts were spread out below her on the kitchen table. Pens and paper were scattered everywhere. On a moan, Willow gingerly rose from where she'd fallen asleep in a sitting position and walked carefully to the phone.

As she dialed, she continued to cry.

"What happened?" the voice on the other end answered.

"I need you to come here," she whispered. "Bring....bring everything. I....need....you....to..." Willow trailed off as she passed out. The phone fell from her hands, her body slid to the floor and she hit her head on the hardwood beneath her.

On the other end, Oz jumped out of bed and hung up the phone. He raced around his room, dressing and gathering the supplies Willow had spoken of. He ran down to the kitchen in his parents' house and grabbed a large bottle of Gatorade. As he chugged it down, he ran from the house to his van.

****

Oz found her crumpled on the kitchen floor. He could smell the blood. Part of him yearned to howl. He shrugged off the feeling and gathered her into his arms, along with the bag he carried. He swept up the stairs and into her bathroom. He put her down in the tub. The smell of her blood was grating on his senses, but it also alerted him that the damage was bad. He longed to take her to the hospital, but understood that he couldn't. He opened his bag and set it down on the floor. It contained latex gloves, bandages, witch hazel, antiseptic wash, antiseptic ointment, small, clean towels and several syringes of morphine.

He removed her white peasant blouse and bra and inspected her torso. As there were no marks that he could see, he removed her soft brown pants and stared. Blood covered her inner thighs. As he realized where it was coming from, he leaned back and let out a loud, blood-curdling howl. He couldn't prevent the grief he felt over whatever she'd experienced, but he could prevent hurting her further.

Oz removed her panties and injected her with one of the low doses of morphine. He then began to clean her up. He turned on the bath and washed the blood away from her thighs and legs. He was more careful, delicate even, with the area between her legs. For this part, he put on latex gloves and turned off the bath - it had done all the work it could.  
As he gently cleaned her folds and her insides, he wished, for a moment, that her parents were home, had been home at all that summer, or cared at all. She, clearly, needed someone here twentyfour-seven. When he was finished cleaning her out of all the blood, he changed into a new pair of gloves and left her in the bath while he spread a large towel on her bed. 

Back in the bathroom, he dried her gently and then lifted her up. He laid her on top of the towel on the bed and then got out both kinds of antiseptic. On the cuts on her legs, he spread the ointment. On her insides, he used the wash. On the most delicate outside bits, he again used the ointment. Lastly, he wrapped bandages around her inner thighs. He'd done all he could do. The blood had stopped, the wounds were clean, but it would take an OBGYN exam to determine the real inner damage.

Oz left her out on the bed, naked, to dry while he cleaned up. In the bathroom, he scrubbed out the tub, washed the floor, bagged up everything that was bloody and everything he'd used. Finally, he stripped off his gloves and added those to the trash bag. As he took the trash out to the dumpster, he hoped she'd stay asleep.

He wasn't gone long, and when he got back he found her on her side, curled up, asleep. He sighed with a bit of relief and went back into the bath. He zipped up the backpack and took it into her bedroom, leaving it on on of her armchairs. He inspected the bathroom for anything he'd missed and when he didn't find anything, he went down to the dining room. He mopped up the remains of her blood on the dining room floor and on the chair she'd been occupying. He scooped up her books, using her papers to mark her places. He slipped it all into her book bag and went into the kitchen. He prepared a tray of food - juice, cheese, tea, crackers & apple slices - and took it and her book bag up to her room.

Oz set the tray down on one of her night tables and searched through her drawers for suitable clothing. He dressed her in a long nightgown and then sat back. He hated to wake her, but he knew that she needed to eat and to talk about what had happened.

He leaned over and shook her gently about the shoulders. "Willow....Willow," he said gently.

Willow stirred. Her eyes opened and she looked up, into Oz's eyes. "Oz?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he said. "You need to eat," he gestured to the tray.

She nodded and scooted up her bed, the movements slow and careful. She winced as she sat down, but the pain wasn't as bad as she'd expected. With her back supported by the headboard, she nodded at Oz. He settled the tray over her lap and sat carefully on the bed next to her.

"Morphine?" she asked as she sipped tea and ate crackers.

He nodded.

"It was that bad?" she questioned.

"Yeah. You...." Oz looked wildly around the room for a moment, his nostrils flaring in and out. She leaned forward and placed a hand on his leg.

"I.....Angel is being raped," she responded.

"You were raped," Oz growled.

"Not....not by....not..." Willow took deep breaths and then sipped more tea. She had some juice and some apple slices before she was calm enough to continue talking. "Not by the standard definition," she commented. 

"What does that mean, Willow?" Oz asked, pain evident in his voice.

"I only experienced a fraction of what Angel experienced," Willow explained. "There may have been a lot of blood, but I promise, it's lacerations and bruising. I wasn't actually raped. There was no penetration by anyone. I think I'd know."

"You were bleeding, internally," Oz explained. He raised an eyebrow at Willow.

"Yes. Angel was...whipped, first," she said quietly. 

"Whipped, where?" Oz said.

"Uh, you know...um," Willow stuttered. Her face, and what Oz could see of her neck and chest, turned bright red.

He leapt off the bed. "He was whipped around his cock?" he growled.

Willow nodded.

"Which means...you felt whipped around your...." Oz trailed off. He just couldn't say it.

"Not just around. Unfortunately, somehow, in the translation.....the whip hit me on the inside too," she explained. As casually and composed as she could, she went back to eating. She needed her strength for the rest of the day and for whatever tomorrow might bring.

Oz glared and began to pace. His muscles bunched under his clothes. His body hunched forward. "Do you think Angel experienced lacerations on the inside too?" he bit out.

Willow nodded, but then realized Oz wasn't looking at her. "Yes," she replied between sips of juice.

Oz's whole body shuddered. "I've got to get out, go for a run," he said. His voice was strained and hurried.

"Alright. You'll....." Willow trailed off.

"I'll come back. I...." Oz looked at her, his face had broken out into the fine hair of his wolf form, his teeth were beginning to elongate. "I'm staying, for now. Somehow." With that, he opened the doors to her balcony and leaped off the edge, into the late afternoon sun.

****

Oz had spent the summer learning how to embrace and control his inner wolf. He'd realized that he was the wolf all the time, and not just the three nights of the full moon cycle. Now, with a thought, he could shift on command. He only shifted during the full moon when he felt like it, but he did still stay locked up. His bite, he'd learned the hard way, was fatal during the full moon. It didn't just turn, it killed. He also stayed away from Willow during the full moon cycle - he didn't see her, not those three days, not even in his human form. As his mate, and wolves did indeed mate for life, Oz couldn't be trusted not to try to turn her during the moon cycle. Even the smallest scratch, as he knew well, could turn a human during the moon cycle.

During the other days of the month, he was careful not to scratch or bite her, just in general. He was careful to cut his nails very short and he never, ever, used his teeth on her. Although a tiny scratch couldn't turn someone if it wasn't during the full moon cycle, Oz was cautious. He only wanted Willow turned if it was her choice. He didn't want to take her choice away, even if turning her made sense to him since she was his mate.

As he ran, in full wolf form, his brain began to calm down, his emotions to slow. He understood, even if Willow didn't, part of why he was so upset, so angry. It wasn't just Willow, his mate, that had gotten hurt and would continue to be hurt until they found a way to rescue Angel. It was that Angel, too, was being hurt - and Oz feared that Angel might be beyond hope or beyond help if they did manage to get him back. Additionally, Oz's heart ached for Angel, because whether he'd accept it or not, Angel, with his deep and abiding connection to Willow, was now part of Oz's pack. As pack leader, Alpha, Oz felt wounded every time something happened to Willow and, by extension Angel.

As he neared Willow's house, he shifted back into human form. Naked as the day he was born, he slipped into his clothes, which he'd left in a pile on the ground. He went in through the front door. He locked the door behind him and began to walk to the stairs.

The phone rang. He paused and rushed to answer it.

**********

"She's back?" Willow asked as Oz slowly walked around her room.

"Yeah. Got home tonight," he replied.

Willow nodded. She could feel anger start to rise in her body; blood burning with it. "And she....what? No explanation?"

"Giles said we're all invited, tomorrow night, for a sit-down dinner. Mrs. Summers wants everything to be nice," Oz said.

"Are we...going to go?" she asked.

Oz nodded. "Yes. I think we should. Everyone will expect it."

"Did you call Xander to let him know?" Willow questioned.

"Giles said it was his next call and not to bother, basically," Oz replied as he sat down on the bed. 

Willow took a deep breath. "Saturday night dinner at the Summers'," she said. She shook her head. "I'm going to get some sleep." She looked up. "Are you staying?"

Oz smiled. "I'll need to grab some stuff from my house in the morning, but my parents left for that archeological dig yesterday. I'm staying until they come back or until your parents come home," he said.

Willow rose and put the towel she'd still been sitting on in her laundry basket. "They aren't back for another two weeks," she replied.

"I'll stay with you as long as I can or until we rescue Angel," Oz said.

She nodded and folded down the bed. "Lock the door," she said gently. 

Oz frowned. "We're not....not after that," he said.

"No," Willow murmured. "We're not. I can't....I can't imagine having sex again. Not....so soon." Willow swallowed hard. "I meant...in case they did or do come home early....I don't want to get caught with you sleeping in my bed," she explained.

"Oh. Right," he replied. He locked the door. He smiled gently at Willow and removed his clothing. In his boxers, he slid under the covers.

She changed out of her nightgown for a soft t-shirt and long pajama pants. She slid into bed next to him and wrapped around him. "Get the light, will you?" she asked.

He turned off the light and then snuggled back. It was a long while before Oz slept; he waited, wide awake, as her breathing became even and deep. What he wanted, more than anything, in that moment was for Willow to be well-rested. He'd grown increasingly worried as the days had gone by that she'd never recover from the sleepless nights.

*********

**The Next Day**

Willow wrung her hands nervously as she sat at her dining room table. Oz was up in her room, getting dressed for the dinner at Buffy's house. He'd brought over a suitcase of his things, his guitar and his backpack that morning. They were, essentially, living together for the next two weeks, but that had nothing to do with her nervousness. She loved Oz, was comfortable with him and valued having him around. She'd slept last night, a deep, near-dead sleep. She had plans to do the same tonight, even though she worried about Oz; she felt like she would finally be able to go without the glamours once the two weeks were up.

She was nervous because in a few short minutes, they'd be leaving to go see Buffy. She was angry; she was terrified that she'd say or do something to alert Buffy about her connection with Angel or about how angry she was with her. Willow didn't want to start that kind of drama. She was also nervous because of how much she'd changed over the last three months. She didn't want Buffy to notice, and be mad, that Willow was no longer her plain and dowdy little sidekick. She was a strong witch and had blossomed; her breasts had grown, her height had increased slightly, and even though she was waif-thin, she had a good reason. Her hair was much longer, and she curled it only at its ends. She even had a slightly different take on fashion than she'd had when she'd last seen Buffy. Okay, she was no sex kitten or anything, but...she'd had sex! She'd experienced things she didn't even think Buffy had. And she was terrified that Buffy was going to take one look at her and find her lacking, or just be plain rude about the changes.

Oz bounded down the stairs. "Ready?" he asked.

She took a deep breath. "As I can be." She gestured to her bag. "I'm taking my school things in case it really is as boring or fraught as it sounds like it might be," she explained.

He nodded. He hadn't expected any less. "Did you take your pills and the double dose of corydalis?"

She nodded.

They left and she locked the door. She got into the van gingerly, sitting down carefully. She still had some discomfort. The painkillers had done all they could to mask the immense pain she had been in.  
***

They arrived at Buffy's house quickly, and Oz helped her get out of the van. She left her bag, but lifted the tray of brownies she'd put together that day. Nothing, not even animosity, could make her ignore the invited-guest-to-someone's-home rules that her parents had instilled in her.

Oz knocked. Buffy opened the door, a big smile on her face.

"Hi, guys," Buffy said. She stepped back to let them in. "Xander and Giles are already here," she looked over at Willow. "Look, you brought something!" she exclaimed.

Willow handed Buffy the platter. "They are homemade dark-chocolate brownies with a layer of eggless cookie dough on top," she explained. She inclined her head. "Buffy," she said.

Buffy frowned. She could see that something was different about Willow, more than just her new clothes, but her brain hadn't yet determined what. "I'll....just take these into the kitchen," she supplied.

Willow rolled her shoulders and grabbed Oz's hand.

"This is...awkward," Oz said softly.

Willow nodded and they moved into the dining room.

Joyce rose. "Willow," she said as she came over and hugged Willow gently. She stepped back. "It's so good to see you!"

Willow smiled genuinely. "You too, Mrs. Summers," she replied. She gestured to Oz. "You've met my boyfriend, Oz."

Joyce smiled. "Yes," she said. "So nice to see you." 

Willow and Oz sat down just as Buffy came back in. As Buffy took her seat next to Joyce, she spoke. "That's what it is....you grew! You're taller, and stuff!" Buffy exclaimed.

Oz squeezed Willow's hand under the table. 

"Yes, I guess so," Willow replied.

"Well, let's eat, shall we?" Joyce said. "The gang's all here. There's roast chicken, gravy, roast potatoes, peas and carrots. There's cake for dessert, later. Uh, also coffee and juice," she explained.

They filled plates and ate - tossing meaningless conversation back and forth and updating Buffy about school and anything she wanted to know. They avoided the subjects of her leaving, Angel, what she did while she was gone and how it had all affected everyone.

When they were finished, they moved into the living room. 

Since Joyce was in the kitchen washing dishes, Giles approached Buffy.

"How are things between you and your mother?" he asked quietly.

"Uh. A little strained," Buffy replied. Giles nodded and sat in one of the wooden chairs.

Buffy and Xander took seats on the couch. Willow sat carefully in the other wooden chair. Oz stood behind her.

"Hey, so you're not wanted for murder anymore," Oz offered, trying to fill the awkward silence. "The cops dropped the case based on lack of evidence, you weren't charged."

"Oh. Great. Wow, that's so good," Buffy said.

"So where were you? Did you go to Belgium?" Xander asked.

Buffy cocked her head to the right and looked at Xander with an odd expression. "Why would I go to Belgium?" she asked.

Xander laughed. "I think the relevant question is why wouldn't you? Belgium! They've got waffles!"

"What about you, Xand? What's up with you?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, you know, same old, same old," he replied with a grin.

"Hardly," Giles piped up. He gave a slightly mischievous grin. "He is dating Miss Chase, again."

"Oh! Wow!" Buffy exclaimed. She looked at Xander. "That's good, right? You wanted her back?"

"It's good...it's great, and....yes," Xander replied.

"Where were you?" Willow asked quietly.

"Um, well....it's a long story," Buffy replied.

Xander sat up a bit straighter. "So skip the heartwarming stuff about kindly old people and saving the farm and get right to the dirt, then, Buff," he said.

"Perhaps Buffy could use a little time to adjust before we grill her on her summer activities," Giles supplied.

"I would like to know as well, Buffy," Joyce said as she came into the living room. She sat down on the couch next to Xander. "I haven't heard the tale," she said. "We'd all like to know."

"I think I.....I just wanna get back to my normal routine. You know, school, slaying . . . kid's stuff. In fact, I'm jonesing for a little brainless fun. If that's okay?" Buffy said. She looked at Xander. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Joyce folded her hands in her lap and stared at the carpet.

Xander squirmed slightly. "I'm a little tied up tomorrow, actually," he responded.

Buffy smiled a little and then nodded; she turned her gaze to Willow. "Will?" she asked.

"I can't," Willow said. "I've got schoolwork and a coven meeting."

Buffy frowned. "C'mon, friends don't let friends browse alone."

Willow shook her head. "Homework and a coven meeting, Buffy," she replied.

"What do you mean....coven?" Joyce asked quietly.

Willow looked at her, eyes alarmed. "I'm a witch," she explained softly.

Joyce shook her head. "Witchcraft is dangerous, Willow." Joyce turned to Giles. "Did you put her up to this, Mr. Giles?" she asked angrily.

"Of course not," Giles replied. He stood. "I was very much against the idea of her practicing magicks. I discouraged her interest in the craft. If she is going to take it up, however, it is in her best interests to have joined the Coven of the Eire. Direction is always best," he said. He shook his head and strode for the door. "Good night, all," he said. He looked at Buffy. "As for school, Buffy, uh, you know you'll have to talk to Principal Snyder before --"

Buffy cut him off. "On it. Mom is making an appointment with His Ugliness. I know she can break him."

As Giles left, Willow looked after him - a little envious at his quick exit. She'd give just about anything to leave. Gingerly, she rose. Oz supported her by putting his hand in the small of her back. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Ready to go?"

She nodded. "Well, this has been......." Willow trailed off. "Worlds of not fun," she began again. "Uh....Oz and I are going to go," she finished.

Xander got up from the couch. "You're not leaving yet, please?" he said. "We haven't even gotten to hang out."

"I'm tired, Xander," Willow said by way of explanation.

Buffy stepped forward and laid a hand on Willow's arm. She snatched it back as though she'd been burned. "Wow, you're....you've got some high energy running!" she said.

Willow barely resisted rolling her eyes. She took a deep, calming breath.

Joyce nodded a little and headed upstairs. "I'm going to bed. Buffy, you'll see your friends out and we'll talk in the morning?"

"Yeah. Sure. Good night, Mom!" Buffy called.

"So, you up for Bronzing it?" Xander asked in a near whisper.

Buffy grinned. "I think I can get out of the house....so....yeah." She turned to Willow. "You coming?"

Willow shook her head. "I'm tired. I'm going home."

"Are....are you okay?" Buffy asked.

Oz put his hands on Willow's shoulders and whispered in her ear, "Not now, not tonight. Let's just go."

"I am not okay," Willow answered Buffy's question. "It is not okay that you left. It is not okay that you left us here to pick up the pieces and dust vampires and everything, by ourselves." 

"I'm sorry that I had to leave, Willow, but you don't know what I was going through!" Buffy exclaimed.

Willow's eyes narrowed into a death glare. "I do. I really, really do," she said. 

Willow's voice was so quiet and forceful that Buffy felt the hairs on the back of her arms stand up. "You can't know what it was like for me," she insisted. "I was just trying to make things easier."

"For who?" Willow said as she crossed her arms over her chest. In order to not get into things any further, she let the rest of Buffy's comment slide.

"You guys were doing just fine without me," Buffy said. 

"We were doing the best we could! It's not like we had a lot of choice in the matter, Buffy. We did what we could," Willow said.

"You have no idea how much I missed you. Everyone. I wanted to call every day. I wanted to be here....I just couldn't," Buffy said.

"That doesn't matter, Buffy. It doesn't matter at all. Why you left, the fact that you left at all, it just doesn't matter to me. What you did....it's unforgivable," Willow's voice went hard. "I'm going before I say something I'll regret."

Oz opened the front door and ushered Willow out. Buffy followed them out into the front yard.

Xander followed closely behind. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but he wanted to be there when it did.

"She said if I left the house, not to come back," Buffy yelled against the wind that was beginning to pick up. "I had to go. I didn't do this to punish you, or Xander, or my mom, or Giles....or anybody."

Willow whirled around. "That's great, Buffy," she said. "Fine. Whatever. You put your mom through hell."

"You know, maybe you don't want to hear it, Buffy, but taking off like you did was incredibly selfish and stupid," Xander chimed in as he came around to stand in front of Buffy.

"Okay! Okay. I screwed up. I know this. But you have no idea! You have, you have no idea what happened to me or what I was feeling!" Buffy yelled.

"Did you even try talking to anybody?" Xander asked.

"There was nothing that anybody could do. Okay? I just had to deal with this on my own," Buffy said as tears began to slide down her face.

"Yeah, and you see how well _that_ one worked out. You can't just bury stuff, Buffy. It'll come right back up to get you," Xander said as he placed his hands on Buffy's shoulders and rubbed. His face was filled with concern.

"I didn't think I even could've gone to you, Xander. You made your feelings about Angel and I perfectly clear," Buffy said, her voice childlike and wounded.

"I'm sorry about that, Buff. I am. I can't help who I do and do not trust. But....you gotta admit....most girls don't hop a Greyhound over boy troubles," Xander replied.

"Buffy," Willow began, "You didn't -"

"No, please, I can't take anymore of this," Buffy said, interrupting Willow.

"Let her finish," Xander said softly. "You at least owe her that."

"That's alright, Xander," WIllow said. She gripped Oz's hand. The pain was returning and there was nothing she could do about it in the situation she was in. "We're going....and I'll see you at school, Xander," she said. 

"You don't know what it was like for me, Willow," Buffy pleaded as Willow and Oz got into the van.

Willow shook her head; she'd had enough. "I may not know what it was like for you," she said coldly, "but I know what made you flee. And I know what I can't forgive."

"What is it?" Buffy cried. "What's wrong?"

Willow's face shut down. Her voice went brittle. "His soul went through me," she said finally. "The spell worked," Willow said as she shut the door and the van roared to life.

**********************

TBC


	3. World Once Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is from Buffy's perspective and deals with her returning to school and introduces Faith.  
> It does have dialogue directly from the show.

**The Next Day**

"Well, he can't keep you out of school. He doesn't have the right. I've spoken to the Superintendent, and on Monday, we'll work it out," Joyce said as she opened the refrigerator door. She held a slim pad of paper and pen in one hand. She stuck the pen in her mouth while she moved things out, and then back in, of the fridge. 

"I still can't believe he met with us on a Sunday," Buffy commented.

"He had to. I went over his head, that nasty little horrid, bigoted, little rodent-man," Joyce said angrily. "We'll straighten it all out, Buffy," she finished.

"I'm not worried, Mom," Buffy said as she pulled a box of wheat-thins from a nearby cupboard. She opened the box and began snacking on a handful.

"Well, if we can't get you back into Sunnydale, we might be able to swing private school. The gallery's been doing really well," Joyce explained as she finished making her grocery list and shut the fridge. 

"Wait, private school? You mean, like jackets and kilts? You want me to get field hockey knees?" Buffy said; her tone was confused and bordering on panic.

"It's not that bad, Buffy," Joyce said as she smiled absently in her daughter's direction. 

"What about home schooling? You know, it's not just for scary religious people anymore." There was full-on panic in her voice now, as she poured a glass of water.

"Miss Porter's accepts late admissions," Joyce commented. "She'll take your application on Tuesday, when you meet with her."

"A girls' school!?" Buffy exclaimed as she picked up the slip of paper on the island counter. "So now it's jackets, kilts, and no boys? Care to throw in a little foot-binding?" she added.

Joyce crossed her arms and faced Buffy, a pinched expression clouded her normally serene face. "Buffy, you made some bad choices. You just might have to live with some consequences." 

Buffy looked down at the island counter and let out a long sigh. "I know," she muttered.

"There are consequences to our actions, Buffy, even as a teenager. I wish you could just tell everyone that what you do is special and takes time, but even that doesn't begin to explain your behaviour of running away before finals, of running away at all," Joyce said.

"I know," Buffy said again. She put away the crackers, washed out her glass. "I'm sorry," she offered.

Joyce shook her head. "I understand that you're sorry, Buffy, but an explanation would go a lot longer way to making it better. You can't imagine _months_ of not knowing. Not knowing whether you were lying dead in a ditch somewhere."

"You told me to go," Buffy said softly. "You got a glimpse of who I really was, and you got scared. You couldn't handle having a daughter that was so different."

"I know I didn't handle it well. I know I didn't. I may be your mom, but I'm not perfect. You didn't give me the time to understand. You still haven't really explained what it is you are, what you do - I still don't know exactly what we're talking about," Joyce explained.

Buffy nodded. "I wish I could explain it all to you, but some of it......some of it is stuff I don't even understand. Giles would be better," she said.

"I don't need a definition, Buffy. Tell me, in your own words and without anger or drama, what a Vampire Slayer is to you," Joyce said.

"It's a job; one girl in the whole world who was chosen by....who knows, really...to fight the demons that exist in our world. That no one else really knows about. It's supposed to be a secret identity, but the cat's out of the bag, now. I....it's hard, mom. It's fighting for my life because I have to. It's never getting to be a normal girl, because even if I try...they find me," she explained.

"Oh Buffy," Joyce said. She walked quickly over to Buffy and enveloped her in a hard hug. "Honey," she said, "I don't want you going through any of that."

"I know Mom," Buffy said as she held tight to her mother. "I know."

*****

**Monday**

On Monday, Principal Snyder was forced to let Buffy back into school. She walked swiftly to the library in order to get the books she'd need for her classes and have a quick conversation with Giles.

On her way, she looked around for Willow and Xander in the halls. 

She slipped soundlessly into the library. Giles stood behind the counter, engrossed in a tome.

"Hi Giles," she said cheerfully.

Giles looked up and gave a smile. "Buffy, welcome back!" he said.

She grinned. "I am back at school. I won't be in any classes today, because I've got five makeup exams first, but Principal Snyder said I'd need my books for this term anyway," she said as she pulled out her class list. "Book me?" she asked.

Giles chuckled softly. "Of course," he said as he held out a hand for her list. 

Buffy handed him the list and then boosted herself up on the counter as he rummaged around behind it. "So...what're you up to?" she asked.

"I trust you remember the demon Acathla?" Giles asked as he stacked two books on the counter next to Buffy.

"Yeah. What's the what?" she asked, as casually as she could manage. 

"I need to get a few details about your experience of defeating Acathla and Angelus, for a binding spell I intend to do on the statue," he explained. 

She took a deep breath. Having it out with Willow Saturday night had been hard, but what was harder was the not knowing whether or not Willow had spilled the beans to Giles. If he was asking, maybe he didn't know. "What kind of details?"

"I've put the time at about 6:17 p.m., about half an hour after Xander rescued me, is that correct?" Giles asked as he checked his notes.

"It was less," Buffy said. "More like ten, maybe fifteen, minutes."

"Ah." Giles scribbled something in his notes. "Was the vortex already open at that point?"

"A little," Buffy said as she hopped off the counter.

"And Angelus?" Giles asked as he stacked the last of her books on top of the two he'd already put on the counter.

"There was a big fight and Angel got the pointy end of the sword." Buffy grabbed her books. She sighed. "Acathla sucked him into Hell instead of the world," she said.

Giles nodded. "Alright," he said quietly. "Is there anything else you can remember that might help?"

She hefted her books and began to walk out of the library. Before she left, she turned around and confessed the secret she'd kept all summer. "When I killed him, Angel was cured," she said softly. "Willow's spell worked at the very last minute. I was about to take him out, and, um... something went through him... and he was Angel again. He-he didn't remember anything that he'd done. He just held me. Um, but i-it was... it was too late, and I, I had to. So I, I told him that I loved him... and I kissed him... and I killed him."

Giles came forward, around the counter. "Buffy--" he was cut off at her look.

She held up her hand in a _stop_ gesture. "I don't know if that helps with your spell or not, Giles. But....I'd been holding on to that for so long. It felt good to say it out loud," she whispered. She shook her head. "I've got exams. I'll see you," she said as she walked out of the library.

Giles rocked back on his heels and slipped his hands into his pockets. He'd feared it had been something like that.

****

**Wednesday**

By Wednesday, Buffy had finished all of her makeup exams and had been told that she'd resume normal classes the next day. She was a little anxious because she wasn't quite caught-up yet to this year's material.

At lunch, she sat with Xander, the new girl Anya, Cordelia, Scott, his friends Pete and Debbie, and Oz. It wasn't her normal group, and from the conversation she understood that Scott, Pete, Debbie and Cordy didn't often join Xander's table. Willow hadn't been in school since the Friday before, which meant that Buffy hadn't had any opportunity to talk to her.

Buffy's mom was keeping tight rein on Buffy's after-school activities since she'd come home, allowing her out of the house with Giles for patrol and training, but that was about it. She didn't blame her mom for feeling protective and insecure, Buffy recognized that she'd put her mom through enough and that Joyce would lay off when she felt more comfortable.

"When's Willow coming back to classes?" Buffy asked as she carefully opened a bottle of water. All that remained of her lunch was the one brownie square she was allowing herself. She needed to get back in shape, in full Slayer-form, before too much longer.

Understanding the question was directed at him, Oz raised an eyebrow. "Don't know," he said vaguely. 

"C'mon, Oz," Xander said. "You're practically living with her right now. When's my Willow-shaped friend making a reappearance?"

"Wait, what?" Buffy asked. "You're living there? Where are her parents?" Buffy clamped a hand over her mouth, fully understanding the idiocy of her previous statement. Willow's parents were never around. She shook her head. "I mean....why are you living there?"

Oz glared at Buffy for a moment so minute that it had come and gone before anyone recognized it. "She's had a rough few...days. Her parents are in Antigua, this month, I think," he replied icily.

"Oh," Buffy said. "What....is it something to do with the magicks?"

Oz's fists clenched under the table. He rose and walked away without a backward glance. It wasn't up to him to update her about Willow, and he'd had enough. Ever since the near-rape, and discovering Angel's rape, his wolf had been so close to the surface he felt like there was something racing in his blood--ready to strike, ready to turn, at any moment.

Buffy looked after him and then turned her attention to Xander. "What did I say?" she asked.

Xander shrugged, but his expression was concerned. He decided, then and there, to go see Willow as soon as he could.

The bell rang and the group dispersed.

****

**Friday**

When there was no sign of Willow on Thursday or Friday, Buffy began to worry. Her Slayer senses tingled and her brain engaged in all kinds of horrible scenarios that could have happened to Willow. Willow, the Willow she knew, never missed school--not even when genuinely ill.

After the last school-bell had rung, she corned Oz outside. 

"What gives?" she asked.

Oz frowned and stood up a little taller. Back straight, feet spread, he pushed Buffy back lightly. "Don't," he said quietly. The wolf flickered in his eyes.

Buffy stepped back and spread her hands in a gesture of peace. "Please, Oz, tell me what's up," she said.

"I don't have to, Buffy," he said. He shook his head. "I get that Willow means a lot to you, but if you want to know what's up you're just going to have to ask her yourself," he said. He picked up his guitar. "For what it's worth...she'll be back Monday." With that, he walked away.

Buffy rolled her shoulders. The last thing she wanted to do was confront Willow at her home. She'd wait for school on Monday. In the meantime, it was Friday night and she had plans to go to the Bronze with Xander, Cordelia and Scott.

****

**Friday Night. The Bronze.**

Buffy's hips rolled to the beat of the music. Scott danced next to her. Xander and Cordelia paired off in a slightly awkward dance behind her. She put all of her Slayer skills into the balance of her dancing; swinging around, a little sexy-twirl, hips swaying and body bumps.

When the song was over, she begged off in favor of water. As she gulped water, she spotted the brown-haired girl and the vampire on the dance floor. She rolled her eyes.

"Check out Slut-O-Rama and her Disco Dave," Cordelia said as she came up beside Buffy.

Buffy nodded. She'd already been looking at them.

"What was the last thing that guy danced to, K.C. and the Sunshine Band?" Cordelia commented as she watched the outdated dance moves.

"I don't think that guy thrives on sunshine," Buffy said as she watched them move through the dance floor and towards the exit. "Vampire," she said to Cordelia.

Cordelia nodded and followed Buffy, signaling Xander on the way.

As they walked out of the Bronze and into the back alley, the sound of a fight could be heard.

Buffy rushed towards the sound, slipped a stake out of her back pocket and arrived just in time to see the brown-haired girl grab the vampire by the neck and throw him to the other side of the alley.

Kicking the vampire to the pavement, the girl swung around. She raced over to Buffy. "You're Buffy, right?" she asked.

"I--" Buffy said.

"I'm Faith," the girl replied as though she'd been asked. Faith twisted and slammed the vampire into a chain link fence. Spotting the stake in Buffy's hand, she leaned forward. "Can I borrow that?" she asked.

Buffy handed the stake to Faith.

Faith ran headlong into the fight; using her body as momentum for a series of brutal kicks. She punched the vampire in the face and jabbed the stake through his heart. As he turned to dust, she turned around.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there's a new Slayer in town," Xander commented.

"Thanks, B," Faith said as she handed the stake back to Buffy. "Couldn't have done it without you."

As Faith headed back inside, she grinned to herself. There was nothing like Slaying vampires.

**************

TBC


	4. Time to Become You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow and Oz talk to Giles.  
> Willow heads back to school.  
> Buffy and Willow have a confrontation of sorts.  
> Willow meets Faith.  
>  
> 
> A/N: This fic will explore an Anya & Willow friendship -- instead of their animosity like in Canon.  
> A/N: In canon, Oz's band is Dingoes Ate My Baby. That has always, always, disturbed me. So....I've shorted it.  
> They are just "The Dingoes" here.

Giles knocked on the front door to Willow's house and stepped back. He looked around. Being summoned by Willow and Oz for some kind of meeting made him feel anxious and suspicious. As the door opened and Oz stepped out to greet him, Giles frowned.

"What is going on, Oz?" Giles asked a little impatiently as he was led through to the kitchen dining table.

Oz shook his head. "I'll let Willow explain," he said.

Willow came into the room and sat across from Giles. She held a large manilla envelope in her hands. Oz stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders in a protective gesture.

Giles noticed their positioning and shook his head. He cleared his throat. "You may sit down, Oz, I am not about to hurt her," he said quietly. When Oz remained standing, irritation rose up in Giles's throat. He ignored it. "What is this all about?"

"We need your help," Willow said. "We need your help to get Angel out of hell."

Taken aback, Giles stood quickly, his chair nearly crashing to the floor before he righted it.

Oz tensed.

"I...while I am sorry that Angelus was sent to hell, with his soul intact instead of without his soul, I am not sure why you would think I'd help you bring that monster back," Giles said. "He tortured me, for hours, for pleasure. He killed my..." Giles trailed off as his throat tightened with grief. He took a moment, and then two, before finishing his sentence. "He killed Ms. Calendar. I am not at all sure why you imagined I'd help you."

Willow nodded. "I can't withstand what I've been going through since he went to hell much longer, Giles," she said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Giles asked. "What are you saying?"

Willow looked imploringly at Oz and squeezed his hand.

Oz took a deep breath. "Willow is linked to Angel in some way," he explained. "She's been experiencing his torture."

Giles's eyes widened in horror for a moment before he shook his head. "No," he said. "That's not possible."

"When he gets tortured in hell, I get tortured here - if I'm asleep," Willow explained. She opened the envelope and spilled its contents all over the dining table. Dozens of polaroids of Willow, in various states of undress, which carefully cataloged the types of wounds (except from the near rape) she had suffered were displayed before them.

Giles sat down, hard. "What...what is this?" He looked up. His gaze landed accusingly on Oz. "If you've done this kind of damage to Willow in a misguided effort to bring Angelus back into this world I'll-"

He was cut off as Oz leapt over the table and grabbed him by his shirt fronts. "This isn't me," Oz snarled. "You can blame yourself and your precious Buffy for this," he growled. As his claws began to extend, Oz shook his head and let go. He looked at Willow for a moment, who nodded, before he raced out the front door.

Willow sighed. "He's very protective of me, right now," she said by way of explanation.

"You aren't....you aren't pregnant, are you, Willow?" Giles asked softly. 

Willow frowned. "No, of course not," she said. Her cheeks turned red. "Why would you think that?"

"P-protecting his offspring would allow for that kind of display to make some sense," Giles said. His voice trembled.

Willow huffed out a breath. "I'm his mate," she said.

"May I...may I get a glass of water?" Giles asked.

"Sure," she said as she rose and headed into the kitchen.

Giles took the minutes she was gone to collect himself. He had been so shocked by Oz's behaviour that Willow being with child was the only avenue that had made sense. He could see now that the wolf in Oz recognized Willow as his true, life mate. It was no wonder he was so protective. What was worse were the images all over the table. The injuries and agony Willow had been going through all summer--the fact that she'd told no one save her boyfriend-- stunned Giles.

Willow handed him a glass of chilled water and sat back down.

"Why do you think these injuries are connected with Angelus?" Giles asked after he had sipped.

"Angel," she replied. "They're connected with Angel." She shifted around and looked out the dining room window. Her voice had a far-away quality when she answered. "When I'm asleep at night I have dreams about him - he is always in hell, he is always in pain. In some of the dreams, he is being actively tortured. When I wake, or am woken, I have bruises, lacerations and injuries that are an almost identical match to his." She shuddered. "He knows I'm there. He can sense me. It confuses him."

"They could just be a manifestation of your magick, Willow," Giles replied.

"It's real," Oz said as he came back in. Willow scooted forward in her chair; Oz settled down behind her and wrapped his arms protectively around her.

Willow nodded. "The polaroid images are not the only times I've been hurt. It is not my magick doing this to me, Giles," she said. "I felt his soul go through me. I felt it burn through my heart, my lungs, my brain. I felt it leave, and I felt it take root where it belonged."

Giles nodded. "Buffy did say that your spell worked at the last moment," he said.

Oz growled, low in his throat. "It didn't have to be the last minute," he muttered.

"Angelus's blood opened it, only his blood could close it," Giles defended.

"Blood, not life," Oz said. "It would have just taken the same amount of blood."

Willow sighed. "The point is...." she looked up, a pained expression on her face. "Just over a week ago....something else happened, and I was...nearly raped...in my nightmares." Willow panted for a moment in the effort to get the sentence out. She clutched one hand over her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't go through anything else like that, and I also can't go without sleep indefinitely."

"I also can't go without sleep for long periods," Oz said quietly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Giles asked.

"When Oz stays with me, and stays awake, when I sleep....the nightmares don't affect me. I still have them, can still see what is happening to Angel, but....I can't feel them," Willow explained. "If he's asleep, his protection isn't there."

Giles stood up again. "He's claimed you as his?" he asked, surprised. "Hell, or wherever Angelus resides, is recognizing you as owned for part of the time?"

"As claimed, yeah," Willow replied. "Do you see....can you see why we need your help? We have to get him out of there!" she exclaimed. She pushed the polaroids closer to Giles. "We have to." 

As Willow began to sob, Giles nodded.

"I'll do what I can, there are some books I can consult," he said. "But, Willow...I need to be absolutely clear...I've never heard of anyone coming back from hell or a hell dimension, once they are there."

Willow nodded.

"I'll show myself out," Giles said.

"Please...please don't tell anyone else," Willow pleaded.

Giles nodded. "You've my word."

*****

On Monday, Willow went back to school. Oz had been turning in her assignments during the previous week, so she didn't have any homework to catch up on and she was glad. She was far too exhausted to fit two weeks into one.

She didn't look forward to running into Buffy. That was one conversation she wanted to avoid, at least until after they found a way to rescue Angel.

Her classes went well throughout the morning. She'd been missed by her teachers, who seemed to sort of depend on her always being there to know the answers or participate in class.

At lunch she sat with Oz, Xander, Cordelia and Anya. She waited, somewhat impatiently, for Buffy to join them but she never did.

"She's sitting with Scott and his friends," Anya said casually. She'd seen Willow looking around anxiously. "I imagine since they're dating now, she wants to show everyone that she can be a normal girl." Anya fiddled with her plastic silverware for a moment. "She's the Slayer, she can never be normal."

"W-what do you mean, Slayer?" Xander asked. "What's a Slayer?"

Anya frowned. "I was certain everyone here, at this table, was aware that she's the Slayer - the one girl in all the world chosen to battle the demons and vampires?"

"Demons? Vampires?" Xander asked. He laughed nervously. "Seriously, those things don't exist."

Anya look over at Oz. She leaned forward and dropped her voice to a whisper. "Is he the only one that doesn't know?"

Cordelia hit Xander on the arm, and none too lightly. "Don't be an idiot, Xander. You guys aren't exactly stealthy when you talk about patrol or slaying," she commented.

Xander rubbed his arm before pushing back his tray and putting his head down on the table. "Alright, alright," he muttered.

Willow grinned. "Anya?" she asked.

"Yes?" Anya answered.

"I'm not sure how to ask this in a way that doesn't come off as totally rude but...." Willow trailed off.

"How long have you been a demon?" Oz asked, finishing Willow's sentence.

Anya nodded and spooned up the last of her chocolate pudding from the pudding container. "About eleven-hundred years," she replied.

Willow burst out laughing. "That's a long time," she said.

Anya smiled and gave a slight nod. 

"Have you seen a lot of magic?" Oz asked quietly.

"Some," she replied. "What are you getting at? I like a direct approach."

"So I've noticed." Oz looked at Willow. "We need help with researching a complicated spell, later. Interested?"

"Maybe," Anya said. She looked at Willow. "Can I get you to help me with math? I really don't want to flunk."

Willow nodded.

When the lunch hour was over, they parted ways.

******

When school was over for the day, Willow gathered her book-bag and began the walk home. Typically, Oz would give her both a ride to school and a ride home, but today she'd wanted the walk. She hadn't minded, at all, when Oz had said that he and his band (The Dingoes) wanted to get in some additional practice before their big upcoming gig at the Bronze on Friday night.

"Willow! Willow!" Buffy called from behind her.

Willow kept walking. 

As Buffy grabbed her arm, Willow inwardly cursed Slayer speed and strength. If Buffy had been just a normal girl, there's no way she'd have caught up to Willow. Then again, Willow thought, if Buffy had been just a normal girl, Angel wouldn't be spending centuries being tortured in hell. Willow gritted her teeth.

"Buffy," she said.

"Yeah," Buffy said. "See...I wanted to talk to you about the other night at my house, but you weren't at school all week and I didn't think I could get out of my house to make it to yours, Mom's kinda been on lock-down except for patrol or training and Friday nights," Buffy rambled, completely oblivious to Willow's darkening mood.

"Could you let go of my arm, please?" Willow asked. "You're kinda hurting me, Buff."

"Oh, yeah!" Buffy said as she let go of Willow's arm. "Well, anyway....I was hoping we could talk about that stuff you said, and I wondered..." Buffy looked over Willow's shoulder and frowned.

Willow turned around. A curvy brown-haired girl strode towards them. Willow raised an eyebrow as she turned back to Buffy.

"You were saying?" she asked.

"B!" Faith said as she reached them. "I thought we could go by Everlasting Peace tonight. Getting dark soon."

Buffy nodded. "Well, okay but...I..." She shook her head, unsure of what to say.

"We can swing by your house on the way," Faith said as she gave Willow an appraising look. "Hi, I'm Faith," she said to the redhead.

Willow nodded. "I'm Willow," she replied as she took a careful, but quick, inspection of Faith's clothes and the stake in her back pocket. "New Slayer?"

"Geeze, B," Faith said as she laughed. "Secret identity much?"

Buffy sighed. "Faith, Willow is on the Slayer Team, along with Xander and Willow's boyfriend Oz. Uh, and I guess Cordelia sometimes too," she explained.

"Groupies?" Faith asked with the hint of a leer.

Willow laughed. "Not groupies," she replied. She glanced at Buffy for a moment. "Friends," she said. "Friends with skills." She shrugged her shoulders. "Anya knows too," she added.

"Wait, the new girl knows? You didn't tell her, did you?" Buffy asked angrily.

"No, I didn't mention it," Willow replied. "She figured it out on her own."

"Oh," Buffy said. She looked at Faith. "I'd love to go patrolling with you, but I was kinda in the middle of some stuff, here..."

"No problem, I got you. I'll meet you there later, when you're done?" Faith asked.

Willow shook her head and stepped back. "Actually, we were done...so you two can go ahead," she said.

"I'm not done, Will," Buffy said softly.

"Whatever, chica," Faith said. "I'm going to head to Everlasting, and I'll hook up with you after nightfall wherever you are. Doesn't matter to me, 'long as I get to stake some vamps."

As Faith walked away, shimmying her hips a little, Willow looked at Buffy. "What is it, B?" she said casually.

Buffy grimaced. "I....uh....I just really wanted to know what you meant when you said that Angel's soul went through you," she said.

"It.went.through.me," Willow enunciated. "I felt his soul, when I did the spell. I also felt it leave me and take root."

"Oh." Buffy looked at the ground and shuffled her feet. "Is....are we going to be okay?"

Willow shook her head. "No, Buffy....we're not. Not until I find some way to rescue him," she explained.

Buffy's eyes went wide. "You're going to get him out?" Hope rose in her face.

"Well, I'm going to try. I have to. I can't leave him there all...resouled," Willow said. "If you'd just taken my word and stalled, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Your word?" Buffy asked quietly.

"Yes, my word. I told Xander to tell you to stall so that I'd have time to resoul him," she said. Her words were slow, like Buffy needed additional time to digest them.

"Xander never told me..." Buffy trailed off. Her face clouded over with a combination of anger and sadness. "He said that you said to kick his ass."

Lightning flashed through the sky. Thunder rumbled. "I can't believe he lied," Willow whispered. She glowered for a moment before turning on her heel and walking away.

****************

TBC


	5. The Way Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow, Oz and the coven Willow belongs to attempt to bring Angel home.
> 
> Xander, Cordelia, Buffy, Faith and Giles also make an appearance in this chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> I took a break from writing yesterday (6/24/14) and am now back!  
> Hopefully you enjoy the chapter. :)
> 
> Candle stuff taken from:  
> http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/bookofshadows/a/Candle_Magic.htm

It was Friday. It was the perfect night for the ritual, though Willow was worried about Oz. He'd decided he had to be part of the circle, but he was in bad shape as the moon had moved into the final days of waxing gibbous. 

Although Oz used a variety of charms and techniques to aid his shifting so that he wouldn't have to shift during the full moon cycle, the wolf still strained against the fabric of his mind and magicks. Willow knew that it was hard to be around people during these days, and that for the next three days Oz would, ideally, avoid them entirely.

Tomorrow was the day before the full moon, and as such...Oz was dangerous. Willow appreciated, so much, his need to be there for the ritual, his need to see Angel home safely, but she really wished it could be on a day where the moon wasn't almost full.

Willow and Oz entered the Mansion. She pulled the heavy, dark drapes over all of the windows and performed a small spell to remove the dust and grime from the floor and furniture. She drew a wide circle on the floor with white chalk. She lit sage in the candle sconces along the walls. 

"When is everyone coming?" Oz asked; his voice was rough, strained like he'd been over using it.

"Soon," Willow replied. 

"Giles won't--?" Oz asked.

"No." Willow shook her head. She took three deep breaths. "I haven't told him. He hasn't really helped, I think because he hasn't wanted to. It's just you, me and the Coven of the Eire. My sisters aren't entirely pleased with helping bring a vampire back into the world, but they understand his soul and my suffering," she said.

Oz nodded and went to move restlessly around the room.

Willow set up the other elements of the spell; the crystals, the shallow bowl of water for looking, the different protection herbs and stones, a series of colored candles (red, purple, pink, black, yellow, light blue and silver), her wand and athame.

The Coven arrived as one in a burst of light. 

Willow laughed as she ran to embrace them. "Where were you that meant you had to light-fly?"

"Many of us were in Ireland, at the retreat. We were sorry you couldn't make it, little tree," Alya said as she clasped Willow's hands. 

Willow nodded. "I'm sorry too," she said. She gestured to Oz. "You remember Oz?"

Alya nodded. "Wolf," she said without heat. "Are you here to help ground her?"

"I'm here to help. He's my pack too," Oz said simply.

The women gathered around on the circle Willow had drawn. Each held a fat white candle in their hands and each put their personal athame down on the ground, facing the center of the circle. Oz joined the circle next to Willow and held her right hand.

"Are the candles anointed with oils?" Alya asked as she glanced at the various candles in the center of the circle.

"Yes, inscribed as well," Willow answered. Alya nodded.

"Willow, this is your circle and your cause. For this ritual alone, I pass the rite of Priestess to you, as well the right of leadership," Alya intoned.

Willow nodded. "For this ritual, specific to me and my cause, I accept the rite of Priestess and the right to lead," she replied. With a wave of her left hand, Willow lit all of the candles in the room.

As the room glowed with candle light, Willow began to chant in ancient Egyptian.

Although none of the members of the coven chanted along with her, Willow could feel their collective power rise up in the air. She grinned.

Willow nodded her head at Alya and waited for them to take up the chant before she began her spell.

"We seek the gateway; the guardian of the dark," Willow said as she held her wand, in her left hand, up towards the ceiling. She was the only member not holding a candle.

"We seek you Mother, Hecate, hear our plea," she continued. "Isis, we beseech you as Mother as well, hear our prayer." In ordinary rituals, she would be asking a combination of Greek and Egyptian gods, with some other gods from other countries added in for other aspects, but she focused this spell almost entirely on the Egyptian--the ones she felt most personally connected to.

"Osiris, bring forth the one we seek. Bring forth Angel. He is kept where he does not belong, and kept without willing knowledge of any crimes!" she shouted as wind began to pick up around them. "Osiris, for this I sacrifice through the course of resurrection trials."

"We ask not that he be returned to living life, to human or mortal being, but that he be returned to us as he is - a vampire with a soul. A soul intact, Father!" Willow yelled.

A storm raged inside Willow as she fought to complete her spell. The magicks wanted to be unleashed, to whip the world into whatever shape she fashioned. Willow swallowed hard and took a series of ragged breaths. She controlled it; she would not let it control her. As she called up more magicks, she clutched a hand over the amethyst talisman she wore, dropping her wand to the floor, to provide herself with protection.

"Ma'at!" Willow called. "An injustice has been done! Will you not seek justice for we, your mortal daughters and sons?"

"Though we covet no evil, though we sing to no misdeeds, Seth, we ask you for your help! Angel is so much like you, we ask for your help!" she cried.

"I invoke the rite of Daughter, for an audience with those names. Hecate, Isis, Osiris, Ma'at, Seth!" Willow felt power loom around her as the air shifted and a huge, darkly-threatening cloud burst forth in the room above them. The candles snuffed out.

"Who dares to call me!" Seth barked. His and several others' heads could be seen in the cloud.

"Your daughter!" Willow shouted.

"Young one, little tree," Hecate said kindly. "What would you ask of us? Why would you ask us to work together to answer your prayer?"

"As your daughter," Willow began, "the daughter of you all, I ask for the return of my souls' mate." Willow winced a little as Oz gripped her hand a bit too hard. 

"Do you suffer unnaturally?" Osiris asked.

"Yes," Willow cried. "Father, I suffer as the damned, though I am not damned. I suffer immense torture, though I am not the one tortured. I suffer as he suffers."

Isis leaned forward, slightly out of the cloud. "Daughter, what is it that you need?"

"Angel must be returned to me. To us. To the world. To be taken out of hell and given back," Willow explained.

"What form of justice should be taken on the one who sent the souled one to hell?" Ma'at asked quietly. "if we are to do this great thing, we cannot ignore the girl. The Chosen one."

Willow shook her head. "I'm not asking for god-like justice to be put upon her; I wish no harm to the one who sent him to hell, I wish only for the boon of his return."

"You can't have everything you want. Some punishment must be dealt for such a treatment of one of my kind!" Seth snarled.

"What will you give us?" Osiris asked. "The task you ask is great indeed."

"I will go through the resurrection trials," Willow said.

"No," Hecate said. "You have suffered quite enough. If my god-brethren will not see fit to help you without sacrifice, then I will."

Not to be one-upped by a Greek, Isis hissed. "I too will aid in returning yours to you, but what of the wolf?" she asked.

"Mother, I do not know what you mean," Willow said.

"The wolf is also your souls' mate. How does he feel about what you have asked?" Isis explained.

Oz nodded. "Angel is now, and will always be, my pack, Goddess," he said softly. "Mother," he directed his comment to Hecate, "I will do everything in my power to ensure the safety of my pack."

"Khonsu will be pleased to hear that," Ma'at commented. He looked around at the other gods. "Will we, brothers and sisters, do this thing requested of us by the daughter of magic? Yay or nay?"

"Nay," Seth said. "I understand your plea, and am humbled by what you would go through for a vampire, but I cannot help." With that, he vanished.

"Yay," Hecate replied.

"Yay," Isis said.

"Yay," Ma'at answered. "It falls to you, Osiris."

"Your will be done, child," Osiris intoned. There was a clap of thunder and then the candle lights came back up and the storm-cloud disappeared.

Willow let go of Oz's hand and looked around the room. Her coven sisters were all breathing hard, some even looked afraid. She knelt down to begin packing up the circle.

"Sisters," Willow said. "Thank you for your sacrifice tonight; thank you for what you have done, what you have given."

As Willow closed the circle and cleaned up from the night, Oz hovered in the background. He was worried; although their wish had been granted, he wasn't sure what they should do - should they abandon their lives and wait around for the day Angel would show up?

After a little while, the coven members left and Willow wished them a good night. She agreed that as long as she wasn't in mortal danger, she'd be at the next coven meeting.

When it was all over, and Willow and Oz sat on the couch in front of the empty fireplace, Oz turned to look at Willow.

"What do you think Ma'at meant about you being the daughter of magic?" he asked.

Willow shook her head. "I don't have any idea," she said as she snuggled into him. "Next stop? Gotta tell Giles, Buffy and Xander that our request will be honored," she said--changing the subject.

Oz sighed.

*****

**The Next Day**

"You did what? How dare you use magic in such a reckless, dangerous, immature way!" Giles yelled.

Willow crossed her arms over her chest and took a step back. She really wished that Oz could have been here--but he was chained up in the basement at the Mansion.

"I asked my patron gods to grant me the boon of bringing Angel, fully resouled, back from hell," Willow said icily. "After spell work and debate, they agreed. It was not reckless, I had my coven there. It was not immature."

"It was a foolish move, Willow," Giles maintained.

"Is he......he's coming back? With his soul?" Buffy asked quietly.

"Yes, he will have his soul," Willow replied.

"Why do you want deadboy back?" Xander asked sharply.

"He was sent there with his soul," Willow said--offering the only explanation she was comfortable giving. "He shouldn't have to suffer torture for eternity just because you LIED!" she yelled.

"Wait, what?" Xander asked. He edged just behind the chair where Cordelia sat.

"You lied, Xander," Willow said more quietly. "You told Buffy that I said to kick his ass, instead of to stall."

Xander's face went bright pink.

"Well, I agree that he shouldn't have to have his soul in hell...but instead of getting him back, why couldn't we just take his soul away from there?" Cordelia asked. "I mean....then he'd be getting what his crazy deserves, right?"

"Uh, before you all go off on anything else....Angel's a good vampire? As in....good vampires exist?" Faith asked. "I mean....could someone explain that to me?"

Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Angelus was cursed with a soul by a family of gypsies after he tortured and murdered their daughter. Many years ago. With his soul, he goes by the name 'Angel,' but without it he is a cruel, vindictive, sociopathic monster."

"But...he has his soul...so...?" Faith trailed off.

"He is a lot like an average human when he has his soul; he doesn't feed off of humans and he's helped us in the fight against demons and vampires," Willow said. "Last year, he was released from his soul after he and Buffy.....after he bedded Buffy. I returned his soul to him, only to have him sent to hell in a horrible mistake."

Faith nodded. "Alright, well....uh...as long as he doesn't go trying to bite me, we're five by five but...." She looked over at Buffy. "You seriously boinked the undead?"

Buffy's face paled. "It didn't turn out well," she said.

Faith nodded again. "Okay....well...I'm out. Somebody let me know when he's back and what he looks like so that I don't go staking him by accident," she said as she walked out Giles' front door.

"She took that so well...." Buffy murmured, staring after Faith.

"Her life has been very different from yours, Buffy," Giles said. 

"Well, I don't think this has anything at all to do with me," Cordelia said as she rose. "Come on, Xander, let's go see what's playing at the Rialto."

"Cordy, I....I think I should stay...you know...be part of the conversation....make snide comments about the situation..." Xander trailed off as Cordelia gave him an irritated look. "Or not," he said as he took her hand and let her pull him out the door.

"We have quite a bit more to discuss," Giles said to Willow. "I am not sure you understand the seriousness of what you have done."

Willow glared. "I understand _perfectly_ ," she said.

"Okay....I can feel that I'm missing something but..." Buffy said as she looked between Willow and Giles. "Willow....will he be...okay? Normal?"

"I think he'll have a lot of trauma to overcome, Buffy," Willow said evasively.

Buffy nodded. "Okay but...it can be worked through, right?"

"I'm not one-hundred percent sure it can, but....I'll do what I can to help him," she replied.

Buffy launched herself at Willow for a slightly-too-hard hug. "I don't know why you did this, but thank you. Thank you so much," she whispered.

Willow shook her head. "We can discuss more...later. I've got to go," she said. Willow gathered up her jacket and book-bag. She had a lot more to do today than stand around listening to Giles lecture her.

******

**Late That Night**

Oz paced in the basement; the chains pulled a little, but allowed him ample room to roam. He debated shifting, just to ease the pressure and feelings that the moon caused. The air around him still felt saturated with magicks. It was making his stomach hurt and his gums and fingertips ache with the need to change.

He shuddered as the air went static-electric and he heard Willow yell from somewhere above him. He couldn't go to her, no matter how much she might need him. Not now, not like this.

"Oz!" Willow yelled as she raced down the stairs.

Oz looked up with feral eyes. "Willow?" he growled.

"It happened! He's home!" Willow cried. Tears rushed down her cheeks. She grinned and raced back upstairs.

Angel was home.

***************

TBC


	6. All of Your Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of the aftermath of having Angel home.
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for the unintended 3-day hiatus on this story. :)  
> Hopefully you like the chapter!  
> Shorter chapter today, dear readers! :)
> 
>  
> 
> Book quote: Anne of Green Gables; from http://www.literature.org/authors/montgomery-lucy-maud/anne-of-green-gables/chapter-05.html.

Willow paced. She knew she wasn't helping, but she just didn't know what else to do. From one end of the grand living room to the other, she walked steadily, quickly, all the while wringing her hands. She'd done what she could.

Angel was curled up in the fetal position, on the floor, in the corner by the fireplace. It was the darkest section of the room, and with the fireplace lit also the warmest. Willow had put up a barrier spell, which would allow him to sit on any of the furniture nearby and roam in the section she'd designated. She was sure, with all he'd suffered, that it wasn't safe to be alone in the room with him without the spell--yet. 

His body trembled. Occasionally he would growl, shout or mutter. He had been stark naked when he'd landed on the concrete floor; dropped out of the sky. He'd been covered in sweat, blood and other things she'd rather not have known about. She'd taken care of all of that swiftly, with the help of a little bit of magic. She'd performed a spell on herself that had blocked her scent and the rush of her blood, and then she'd levitated him into the hall bathroom. She'd run the tub with warm water and gently coaxed him inside. He hadn't moved. He hadn't opened his eyes. He had whimpered.

Chills ran down her back and arms. She rubbed them unconsciously. She'd bathed him for over an hour before he'd been clean. She wondered if he'd ever really feel clean again; she hoped so. 

After, she'd dressed him in a pair of soft black sweats and a white undershirt. She'd levitated him back into the living room, on the thick rug in front of the fireplace and then lit the fire. She'd cancelled all the spells then and stepped back. She'd waited, against the back wall, taking deep, calming breaths. When another hour, and then two, went by, she'd set the barrier spell and gone out in search of blood. She hadn't gone for animal blood, he needed his strength more than anything.

The spell she used on the hospital employee to sell her the good stuff, more than a dozen bags of O Negative in a thick cooler, had wiped her out. She'd stopped for a late-night drive-through meal on her way back. She hadn't felt bad, at all, about commandeering her parent's car. They weren't there to use it anyway and she'd always been told she could use it if she needed.

She'd rushed back after scarfing down tacos and gulping down a huge cup of water. She'd used the bathroom and washed her face and hands before heading back into the living room. She'd found him, then, curled up as he was now. She'd cancelled the barrier spell long enough to put the blood near him and then had backed out again, throwing the spell up as she'd moved away from him. She'd sunk to floor and gotten three hours of very patchy sleep in deference to the strain the magicks took on a persons' energy.

She'd been shaky ever since. Tremors along her skin. He'd obviously moved while she'd been gone, but he hadn't once looked at her, nor did it appear as though he was going to, today.

She stepped up to the edge of the spell. The sun had risen, and he still hadn't moved. He'd been home an entire night and a few hours of day, besides. It was time to do something more than just pace.

She adjusted the spell so that it wouldn't block out her voice. Even that was a struggle. She'd done too much without enough practice, enough skill. She took a deep breath to calm her aching stomach.

"Angel?" she said. No response. "Angel, it's Willow. I know what you've been through...or at least as much as I can know, because I went through it too." He didn't even register that he'd heard her.

"Angel, I'm just going to keep talking. I'm going to tell you about my summer, about Oz, about my magick, about my parents, and when I'm done I'm going to read to you until I can't read anymore. I'm so sorry, Angel. I'm also sorry that tomorrow I have to leave. It's a school day, tomorrow," she explained. "Oz will be here, but he'll be in the basement, recovering from tonight. It's the full moon tonight, you know?" She settled down on the floor in front of the barrier. "You're back in Sunnydale, in the Mansion. We, Oz and I, can move you to somewhere else, if you want. My parents are coming home in about a week, they extended their trip a little, but they called the maid so she could prepare their room and pick up some things they need...."

*************

"Do you know," said Anne confidentially, "I've made up my mind to enjoy this drive. It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. Of course, you must make it up FIRMLY. I am not going to think about going back to the asylum while we're having our drive. I'm just going to think about the drive. Oh, look, there's one little early wild rose out! Isn't it lovely? Don't you think it must be glad to be a rose? Wouldn't it be nice if roses could talk? I'm sure they could tell us such lovely things. And isn't pink the most bewitching color in the world? I love it, but I can't wear it. Redheaded people can't wear pink, not even in imagination. Did you ever know of anybody whose hair was red when she was young, but got to be another color when she grew up?" Willow read steadily. 

She hadn't expected to find _Anne of Green Gables_ in Angel's library, but when she had she'd snatched it up immediately. It was a good book, a classic, and it wasn't full of torture and death or long lost love and empty promises. Perfect to read aloud to a vampire who seemed to be in a catatonic state. 

Willow slipped a bookmark into the place she was in and stood. She'd dragged a chair in from the dining room. She also had a large glass of water on a barstool next to her. She stretched.

"And that's the beginning of chapter five. Unfortunately, Angel, I'm human. So...I'll be in the bathroom for a few minutes, and then I really do have to go get some food. Speaking of which, for the tenth time, there is blood, Angel, in the cooler next to you. It's on dry ice, it won't spoil, and it's human. It's okay to drink it, whenever you're ready. It's not a trick, and it's good blood. If you want it heated up, you have to tell me. Anyways," she said, "I'll be gone for a bit. I'm going grocery shopping. You've got a lovely kitchen. I cleaned it and the bath on this floor, not with magick, which you very well know, because I did them while you were lying there, a few hours ago. It's a shame, having such a state-of-the-art kitchen and it's never been used."

In the bathroom, she kept up a running commentary. She kept the door partially open, just in case of an emergency. She didn't care if he could see her, or anything. He'd already seen her insides and so much more, when he'd been aware of her presence in Hell. 

She hated to leave him, but she had to. Stocking the kitchen would mean not having to leave except for school and to go home so that her parents thought she'd been there during their most recent absence.

She gathered her bag and the car keys. The second her parents got home, she was asking them for a car of her own. 

******

The little tree had gone silent. He opened his eyes and looked up. She wasn't anywhere in sight. He struggled for a moment to remember the meaning of her words.

She'd gone out. For something. She'd be back. What had she gone out for? Food. She was human.

His body quivered at the last thought. He frowned. He didn't want to hurt the little tree, but he....he felt something gnawing at him in the pit of his stomach and his gums ached at the thought that she was human. He shook his head slowly, relieved when it didn't hurt.

He shifted around. He stared at the world around him. He definitely wasn't in hell anymore. This place was hard beneath his body, like Hell had been, but...there were soft things here. Soft light, things that seemed....squishy. Furniture. Walls. Windows covered in huge drapes. To make sure daylight didn't come in. He didn't think it was daylight anymore. He thought he remembered the little tree.....Willow. He thought he remembered Willow saying that evening had fallen, or something like that.

His body stiffened in fear for a moment. There was a smell. An odd smell that he couldn't place. It wasn't a bad smell, but he needed to know where it was coming from. Now. He looked around again. He tilted his head. A fast heartbeat was echoing somewhere below him. He shifted into a crouched position, like a cat on the hunt. Hands on the floor, crouched low, head cocked, he listened.

Someone was pacing back and forth, below him. Their heartbeat was inhuman with its fastness. He sniffed the air. He recognized the scent from long ago; centuries ago. Wolf. His body sprang up into a standing position as he realized who was in this place too. A wolf. No, that wasn't quite right. A werewolf. A shifter. He growled. The growl turned into a whining sound as he understood, finally, what the pain was. He was hungry.

******

Oz was unbelievably weary. He'd been going in and out of consciousness since Friday night, after the ritual. It was Sunday evening, now, and the full moon was well within his grasp. He'd be out of school for the next two days, but he couldn't do anything about that. He ached for the moon.

It was nearly up.

He wanted to go upstairs. He'd heard Willow leave; he'd been tuned in to her to make sure she hadn't needed him for anything. She'd come down to see him a few times, to sit on the stairs behind a barrier spell and talk to him about Angel or to bring him food.

He was starving nearly all the time now. He knew if he shifted, the hunger would ease and, because the moon was full and nearly all the way risen, he'd get lost in the wolf for awhile.

Something from upstairs called to him; made him yearn. He knew, in the human parts of his mind, that it was Angel. The rest of his mind was focused on the wolf. A member of his pack was upstairs, afraid, alone, unsure of what was going on, hungry and......Oz sniffed the air.....and aroused by the idea that he was down here. Oz nodded. He wanted to be upstairs.

******

Willow came in through the side door; it was closest to the kitchen. She unpacked the first load of groceries, putting things away carefully. She pressed out with her senses long enough to be sure that her barrier spells were still in place and that her boys were still where she'd put them. She nodded and went out for the second, and last, load of groceries. She'd grabbed a snack while she'd been out, so she could wait on making a meal here for awhile and get back to Angel.

When she was finished in the kitchen, she headed back to the living room. She was surprised to find Angel standing in the corner instead of cowering in the fetal position, but she didn't let it show. 

She grinned as she looked at the cooler. It sat open. Several empty bags, but not all, littered the floor.

"Good, good," she said. "I'm so happy you've eaten. I think the more blood we can get into you, the better. You'll heal faster." She nodded and resumed her seat.

Angel turned around to stare at her and she smiled at him. 

He frowned. Willow. He recognized the name. He even recognized the girl, but she couldn't possibly be the Willow he'd known. He'd spent four hundred years in Hell.

********************

TBC


	7. Tear Down these Monuments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow heads back to school, gets in a confrontation with Xander and Buffy.  
> Willow makes Faith an offer.  
> Oz watches Angel.
> 
> Introduces Tara Maclay (a year older than Willow).

He hadn't recognized her or he'd been confused. There had been no spark of recognition as he'd stared at her from the corner. His lips had been curled in an expression similar to anger, though Willow didn't believe for one moment that was what he'd been feeling. His nostrils had flared, he had been scenting something. Which meant some smells had gone through the barrier spell.

Willow contemplated everything from last night on her drive to school. She'd spoken to Oz, behind another barrier, directly after. In a harsh, hushed voice he'd told her that Angel could sense him, smell him and was hungry. He'd explained, in a clipped tone, that Angel's behaviour was getting to him in a way that made it not safe for her to come down to the basement any more that night. She'd listened.

She'd spent her evening making sure that Angel had all the blood he needed--by transportation spell this time--and setting up a backup plan for today. She'd called a friend from her coven--a college freshman--one that hadn't been able to make the previous ritual, for help. Tara was a sweet, if timid, girl who hadn't immediately wanted to assist, but when Willow had explained the whole situation--vampire with a soul, tortured for centuries in hell, friend and potential loved one, chained to Willow indefinitely through said soul spell--she'd come quickly with supplies for a backup barrier spell.

Tara had brought imbued crystals and herb pouches and a book of spells passed down from her mother. She'd added her magic to Willow's and had reinforced the barrier. She'd created a backup with the crystals and herbs, but had to limit the space around Angel more severely in order to do so. During her ritual, she hadn't stuttered--as she typically did in stressful situations--but it had come back as soon as the magick was over. She'd left quickly, but had promised that in addition she'd added a spell that would trigger an alarm if Angel breached the barriers.

Willow raced to her locker, took out what she needed for her first classes and headed to class. She'd done all she could to ensure the safety of her family.

*****

It was the day after the full moon and, as such, Oz was feeling worn out, exhausted, his body felt like it had taken a beating [or three] and his immune system felt stressed to the max. Even so, he didn't leave the manor. He had to believe that Angel would get through the day alright and to do that he had to be here.

Oz paced the living room in front of the barrier spell. Angel prowled the small space he was confined to, right behind where the barrier began. His face was in full vampire mode--game on. Every so often, he growled. Oz growled back. Although Oz was the Alpha of his pack, being the only male werewolf, he understood that in many situations, if Angel came to accept both he and Willow, Angel would be Alpha and Oz would defer to him. That, though, had yet to come into play--Angel was as yet unaware of the new situation--and Oz didn't have to listen to him growling and watch him gnash his teeth without fighting back, however small the fight was.

Oz stopped pacing long enough to grab a shower, change clothes and have some lunch. He ate like a starving animal--falling on the sandwiches Willow had prepared before she left like a hungry....well....wolf. When he was finished, he called his parents.

The conversation was brief, but his parents respected his decision. He'd made up his mind. Angel needed a minder; Oz was nineteen and could move in as soon as tomorrow. He'd get a job, of some kind, so that he could support himself, but the decision was made. Angel needed someone around. Until Willow graduated High School, that person would have to be Oz. He didn't care about school, but moving out wouldn't affect his graduation status anyway.

***

Angel heard the conversation dimly--in a part of his mind that he didn't yet recognize. Whatever was going on was to be for his benefit, but Angel wasn't sure if it was actually a good thing. He was so confused, still so dazed. The gist he'd gotten from Willow, last night, was that he was, in fact, in Sunnydale again. And that it was the same Sunnydale he'd left. Only...four months later. Angel didn't know how that could be true, but his eyes were detecting the proof in front of him--Willow and Oz, the same Willow and Oz from before. Werewolves, after all, were not immortal. And, unless Willow had done some major magicks that had altered her body's entire makeup, neither were witches.

He struggled. Oh, he struggled. Each moment that passed was harder than the last. He'd been in Hell. Willow had been there for parts of it too--and he still didn't understand that, but he'd seen her naked, now, on accident (well, not really by accident, he'd looked his fill, after all), he'd seen the bruises and scrapes and scars for himself. He remembered her, remembered feeling her, in Hell. He'd thought...he didn't know what he'd thought, but surely someone as innocent as she hadn't deserved Hell--had she deserved it for giving him back his soul? Even now, he couldn't bring himself to think so.

He knew that he was back, that he was on Earth, that this was real. But he couldn't process it in a way that made _him_ real, made him whole, made him awake and ready to speak or act like the human he'd been pretending to be when he'd been here before. With Buffy. He growled. The sound rose up from his chest, through his throat and out on deaf ears. He couldn't think of her. Shouldn't. Her light had damned him. She'd made him free only to send him to eternal torture.

He shook himself like a dog for a moment. He had to think about something else. Anything else. _It hadn't been eternal, Angel, or whatever it was his name was. The little tree got you out. Willow got you out. Begged the Gods for you back. That means something_. He thought to himself as he walked. It wasn't until a moment or two later that he smelled the blood, so lost in his memories. He looked down. He'd damaged his hands. He'd been cutting his palms with his own nails. He sighed and relaxed his grip. They'd heal themselves. He looked around. The wolf was staring at him again.

_Oz._

"Angel?" Oz said as he brought the cup down from where he'd been taking a sip.

Angel frowned. He hadn't realized he'd said that out loud.

*******

At lunch, Willow sat down at the usual table. Xander, Cordelia, and Anya. Buffy joined them a moment later. Willow looked up as Anya got up and left, quickly, without looking back. Willow watched as Anya's hands clenched into fists. She raised an eyebrow. It didn't bother her if Anya had a problem with Buffy, but she wished she hadn't left. Although very blunt, Anya was interesting and Willow did long to know what kind of demon she was.

Willow ate slowly. She was too tired to bolt down her food and flee. Though she wished she wasn't.

"Where's Scott?" Willow asked casually. He usually sat with them, as did Debbie and Pete.

The color drained from Buffy's face. "He's home today. He...there....I guess you wouldn't know," Buffy said. "His best friends died. He's taking some time off."

"The funeral's tomorrow," Xander said quietly. His face was set in mutinous lines.

"Wait, what?" Willow asked.

"You wouldn't know because you haven't been around," Xander said. "Too busy with Evil Deadboy or whatever you were up to before he came back to care about us or to be involved with things like patrol or monsters or the Scooby meetings."

"What I'm doing is important, Xander!" Willow exclaimed as she completely ignored the other part of his comment. She pushed her half-eaten egg salad sandwich away. "Maybe you don't get that, maybe you can't...but...that's not my problem. What is my problem is making sure Angel recovers from the trauma because if he doesn't, he's going to have to be staked and I...we'll lose a vital player in the fight against evil!"

"Right," Xander said as he rolled his eyes.

Willow shook her head and crossed her arms. She slipped into the Resolve Face that she knew always worked. Xander looked startled for a moment and then went back to eating.

Buffy took a bite of her salad. She chewed for a moment and then swallowed. She looked imploringly at Willow.

"Anyways," Buffy said. "Pete was doing a sort of Jekyll and Hyde thing, only it got very out of hand and he killed Debbie. He nearly killed me, but Faith pulled him off me right in time." Buffy looked around a bit wildly. "She's cool, Faith," she added.

Willow nodded. "Alright. That sounds....all kinds of bad--about Pete and Debbie. I...I'll have to tell Oz, he was friends with Debbie from Band."

"Pete was a monster?" Cordelia piped up. 

Xander chuckled. "Yeah, babe," he said. 

Cordelia nodded and returned to her lunch. After a moment, she got up from the table to go sit with the Cheerleaders--taking her tray with her. Xander watched her go, but stayed behind. He understood how important it was to her to keep her friends even as she made strides to be friends with his friends.

"Er...Willow?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah?" Willow asked as she resumed eating her lunch. She wasn't really hungry anymore, but she knew she needed the strength.

"Is it....would it....I thought I might go over and see Angel after school. Do you think I should wait? I mean, I've been waiting since he got back, but...I wanted to...I don't know, get a status update, or something?" Buffy asked.

This time, Willow pushed back from the table. She swung her book-bag over one shoulder and stood up. She leaned over the table slightly, facing Buffy. "He.Doesn't.Recognize.Me.Or.Oz," she said carefully. "He.is.not.safe." She made a slightly strangled sound and fisted her hands in her hair for a moment. She stared at Buffy. 

"He can't hear your name. He flinches whenever I've even casually mentioned you. It is clear he can hear us, knows what we're saying, but he shows no spark of recognition. He's dangerous right now and you will make it worse. He's been back for two days, Buffy, since late Saturday night. Give it, give him, a rest, a break. He's not ready to see you--and I don't know that he ever will be. He is not the same. He's animalistic at best and terrified, cowering in the corner, trembling at worst," Willow said.

She shook her head. "I can't do this. I can't handle this right now. I'm already holding up way too much; too many balls in the air and I'm going to drop them all--I just know it," Willow rambled. She sighed. "I'm done, for today."

"But, Willow," Buffy said as she, too, rose from her seat. "I love him. We're....we love each other. If he sees me...he might get better if he just sees me, that I'm okay, that I had to send him to Hell..."

Willow glared. Her pupils went huge; seas of black surrounded by slivers of deep green. The trays on the table rattled. It took her several minutes of deep breathing to get it under control. "No!" she yelled. She fled from the cafeteria.

********

On her way out, Willow turned her assignments into her teacher's Front Office boxes. Just because she was angry, upset, hurt and....appalled by her friends' behaviour didn't mean she'd fail classes or not turn in assignments.

She ran head-long into Faith as she crossed the parking lot to her parent's car.

"Hey, whoa there, chica," Faith said. "Will, what's the rush?"

Willow reared back, took three calming breaths, and stood still. She looked at Faith for a moment before replying. "I had to get out of there."

Faith nodded. "Okay," she said. "Any idea as to where B is right now? Thought I'd spring her for a little vamp action."

"It's daylight," Willow said, confused.

"Bad for them," Faith commented.

Willow nodded. "Oh. Well. She's in the cafeteria, but since lunch was over a couple of minutes ago......she's probably in Chemistry. Uh. First floor," Willow said as she turned around. She counted the school's windows. "Sixth window on the right."

"Thanks!" Faith exclaimed.

"Yeah, anytime. Dependable, you could call me," Willow said. 

"Nah, I'm not buying that. You've got power--I can feel it," Faith said.

"Oh. Well. Thanks." Willow smiled a little hesitantly. 

"Sure. No problem," Faith said. She gestured with one hand towards the school. "Well, I'm gonna jet. Gotta actually talk to B in order to have any slayage fun."

"Right," Willow replied. She began to walk to her parent's car. "Oh, Faith?" she asked as she turned back around.

"Yeah?" Faith called.

Willow walked closer to Faith. "I've already checked with my parents, who are due back at the end of this week and they said yes. So...I was wondering if you wanted to move in to our guest suite for the time being. It'd really help me out, because when they're gone I'll really be over at Angel's helping him recover and I could use someone to keep an eye on the place. And when they are home....well, they're still not really around. The company would be nice--" she was cut off by Faith holding up her hands and waving them around.

"What do I gotta do?" Faith asked as she let her hands fall to her sides.

"Nothing. Not a thing," Willow replied.

"So....free room and board for however long and I don't gotta do anything in return?" Faith asked skeptically.

"Well, you'd have to pretend like you take night classes at UC Sunnydale when my parents are home, but yeah....that's it," Willow said.

Faith nodded. "When can I move in?" she asked.

Willow grinned. "Tonight," she responded.

*********************************

 

TBC


	8. The Beginning of Breaking Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel reflects.  
> Xander and Willow get into a verbal fight.  
> Buffy steps over the line.
> 
> Short chapter this time readers, sorry.

**Two Weeks Later.**

He hated her. In fact, as he reflected on it, he was glad she was dead. Glad he'd killed her. Well, that Angelus had killed her in any case. His life was still frozen in hell. While he wasn't there anymore, and he was very grateful for that, he was traumatized and it wasn't getting better. At least, he didn't think so. If Angelus hadn't killed her, he thought he might justify killing her himself, now. Right now.

Angel's hands clenched into fists. She had known, all along, who he was. He understood, because Willow had mentioned it, that Jenny, or Janna, or whoever she was, hadn't known about the happiness clause until too late. Yes, he understood that. He shook his head and slammed back against the concrete wall. It didn't justify the lie, nor did it absolve her (though dead) of blame. And Angel blamed her. If she'd told the truth, if she'd ever asked about the curse, if she'd done anything at all except _watch_ , maybe he wouldn't have gone to hell. At least he wouldn't have gone with a soul. Maybe he wouldn't have lost his soul in the first place--but he could see, now, that she'd be dead anyway, honestly--she deserved what had happened to her. It was the price paid for her variety of silence.

His brood was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

"Angel," Oz said quietly. "I'm headed out to work--the record store, remember?"

Angel's faced morphed into his vampire visage. He nodded dully at Oz. Although he hadn't spoken again, not even little things, he had begun nodding at Willow and Oz whenever they spoke to him. He still didn't display recognition, but he felt he owed it to them to at least allow some form of communication. He wasn't well enough for any other sort.

"Willow will be over in about an hour," Oz said. He smiled gently at Angel, without showing his teeth.

Angel nodded again.

Oz left.

Angel paced the space he was confined to. Part of him wished he knew magic, or had the brute strength to tear down magical barriers. Another part understood their caution, and agreed with it.

He took a blood packet from the cooler and settled down in his favorite chair. It was his favorite chair because it was the only one that he clearly remembered. The only one that was soft, didn't smell like...the Slayer, and was in the space he occupied. He sank his teeth into the plastic and wished it was human flesh. He tilted his head back. As the blood poured into his mouth, he wished for heat, pulse, flow and the beat of a heart.

Damaged didn't even begin to cover it.

******

"What is your problem?" Willow asked.

"You. You're my problem, Will," Xander replied caustically.

Willow flinched. "Why? What have I done that's so upsetting? What's going on that's kept you mad at me? I've tried my best, this past week. I can't give anymore, Xand," she responded.

Xander shrugged his shoulders. They stood in the center of Giles' living room. Giles was making tea in the kitchen, Buffy sat at the desk, silent with her head down. Faith sat on a bar stool, staring at her hands. Anya and Cordelia had gone into the guest room to avoid the argument.

"Why did you invite a demon to the scooby meeting?" Xander asked. "This is a you, me, Buffy, Giles thing. It always is. She doesn't really belong here. What is it--do you have a thing for demons now? Oz? Angel? Anya?"

Willow crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "I do not have a thing for demons. And, I like Anya. She's honest. Besides, you brought Cordy," she said.

"Cordy's my girlfriend and she's part of the gang," Xander said.

"Well, I'm not going to ask my friend to leave just because she makes you uncomfortable, get over yourself Xander."

"Guys, this isn't helping anything," Buffy said as she stood up. She looked over at Faith and smiled. "We've got somewhere to be. Can you guys argue about this some other time?"

"I thought you were mad too, Buffy!" Xander exclaimed. "All you've talked about lately is how Willow isn't friendly anymore and never wants to hang out. Come on! Back up my play!"

Buffy cringed. "That's true, yeah. But I don't think Giles' home is the place to get into this fight. I mean...yeah..." Buffy looked at Willow. "I miss you, of course I do. And I don't understand what's going on with your overprotective thing about Angel, and I don't understand why Oz moved into the Mansion and I don't understand your friendship with Anya...but....I don't think now's the time."

Willow nodded. "Alright. Let's fight about it later then," she said sarcastically. She shook her head. "I'm done fighting about it. I like Anya because she's honest, she listens when I talk, and she has a wealth of knowledge--being alive for eleven-hundred years will do that. I'm not going to defend it anymore and I don't want anyone being rude to her. I think she belongs as part of the gang. We all just have to be careful around her, is all." It was the only question she was willing to answer.

"Why careful?" Faith asked.

"She's a genie. So....you know, she can grant wishes, after a fashion," Willow explained.

"So, no using the term 'wish' around her, got it," Faith replied as she slid off the barstool. "B? Time to motorvate."

"Did the after-effects wear off?" Willow asked suddenly. "I was just curious, you know...the whole point of this meeting was to discuss the Band Candy, right?"

"I think I can speak for all the adults of Sunnydale to say that yes, indeed, the effects of the Band Candy have worn off and we are all immensely embarrassed by our behaviour," Giles said as he brought in a tea tray. "I imagine there are those of us who will pretend that we remember nothing of the events that transpired. I, however, will not be among them. Lying about what occurred is not wise." He looked pointedly at Willow.

"Whoa, I saw that!" Xander exclaimed. He rounded on Willow. "What are you lying about?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "What I keep private, what I keep to myself, is no one's business but my own!" she shouted.

Buffy sighed and picked up her bag. "We've got to patrol," she said. 

As Xander headed to the guest room to get Cordelia and Willow turned to confront Giles about his statement, no one noticed Faith brush her hand down the back of Buffy's head, tug at Buffy's hair slightly and then travel to rest on her left hip. Buffy leaned into Faith as they left.

******

"We don't have long," Buffy said anxiously. "I don't know when Oz will be back, or when Willow's dropping by."

Faith nodded. "Yeah, but you gotta do it. You need closure on this, babe."

"I know," Buffy said as she let herself into the Mansion. She'd learned to pick a lock in L.A. They stepped over the threshold with Faith's arm wrapped tightly around Buffy's waist.

"How'd things go with Scott?" Faith asked quietly as they made their way to the living room.

"Fine. He understood. He likes me, but thinks it's better if we're broken up--he's probably moving to a different school anyway because of..." Buffy trailed off.

"The Debbie and Pete Disaster Show?" Faith asked.

Buffy nodded.

They tiptoed towards Angel, who was curled up in a chair with his eyes closed. 

As they hit the barrier spell, both Buffy and Faith jolted back.

"Ow!" Buffy said. "It kind of zapped me!"

Faith nodded. "What do you think it is, B?"

"A spell....some kind of containment thingy," Buffy replied as she rubbed a spot just above her breasts. "Whatever it is...ow, major ow."

Angel stood up quickly, moving too fast for them to see. He was pressed against the barrier in an instant. Buffy screamed.

Faith backed up and pulled Buffy with her.

"A-angel?" Buffy asked.

Angel growled. His face shifted into game-face. His growl turned into a roar. Minutes passed. His roar turned into a series of anguished howls, which then calmed down into snarls. 

Tears dripped from Buffy's eyes, down her face. "I-I think Willow was right...he-he doesn't recognize me," she sobbed as she pressed herself closer to Faith.

Faith shook her head. "Actually, B, I think he does. Babe, I think he does know it's you and this is what Willow meant when she said..." Faith trailed off.

"T-that he cou-couldn't see me," Buffy replied.

"That's exactly what I meant!" Willow yelled as she entered the room. "How could you be so selfish, Buffy?"

**************************************

TBC


	9. Breaking the Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buffy and Willow have it out about Angel. 
> 
> REALLY short chapter.

"I...I thought you were lying!" Buffy cried. "Or..or just being overprotective or reactionary or something! How was I to know that he'd react like this?"

"I told you!" Willow said quietly, too quietly. Her pupils doubled in size. The roots of her hair turned black. Objects began moving around the room. "I explained, very clearly, that he couldn't see you."

Buffy stood up straighter and stared at Willow. "What is wrong with you?" she asked acidly. "When did you go overboard with the magicks this way, Will?"

"That is not the issue right now!" Willow yelled.

"Uh. I kinda think, you know, that it is. Um, Willow," Faith said, "It's just that...you're out of control."

"I've been keeping everything together, in my life, everything. And running a barrier spell on a constant basis, not to mention..." Willow was cut off by the sound of Angel's voice.

In a rasp that was barely human, Angel said, "Torture. Didn't tell them...about......torture." He took great, big, unnecessary breaths. By this point, he was crouched on the floor. His nostrils were flaring repeatedly. He was visibly shaking.

Willow looked over at him. It was all it took to calm her down. The wind stilled, her eyes went back to normal, the black turned back to red.

"I'm so sorry, Angel," she said gently. "I did tell them about your torture--not in detail, but I told them how you'd been tortured for centuries. I'm so sorry."

"Not..." Angel coughed. Cleared his throat. Coughed again and then tried again. "Yours. Your torture."

Buffy whirled around. "You tortured her!" she said; her voice was disgusted.

Faith lifted the stake out of her back pocket and moved to stand in front of Buffy.

"No," Angel whispered. His eyes were wide and focused on Faith. His face shifted back into human.

"What is he talking about Willow?" Buffy asked.

Willow put her hands on her hips and raised herself up to her full height. Her back impossibly straight, she said, "I was tortured. While Angel was in Hell. When I slept, I was in Hell too and I was tortured alongside him."

"What...why? That's not possible," Buffy said.

Willow glared at Buffy. "Our souls are connected in some way," she explained without mercy. "I don't know how. I've been researching it, and so has Giles. Oz was the one who figured it out, before, in June. When Angel got tortured, so did I, if I was asleep."

"Giles knew the whole time?" Buffy whispered.

"No. I told him when I asked him for help with bringing Angel back. He wasn't helpful, so I did it myself," Willow said.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Buffy asked.

"I didn't want you to know," Willow said simply.

"But, why?"

"I was angry with you. I still am. You sent him to Hell, Buffy, with his soul intact." Willow stepped towards the barrier and pressed her hand to it. When Angel reached up and pressed his hand to hers, with the barrier between them, she smiled. "You sent him to Hell without a thought for what it might mean." Her smile turned hard, cold.

Buffy nodded. "I had no choice."

Angel growled.

Buffy flinched.

"Uh, B? I think we should leave. We're making things worse for him and he seems pretty messed up," Faith added as she edged back behind Buffy.

Buffy turned around to look at Faith; there were tears in her eyes. "I want to know what's going on," she said. She turned to face Willow. "What's going on with you and Angel?"

Without removing her hand, Willow turned partially towards Buffy. "He's part of my family," she said.

Buffy gasped. "Wait, what?"

"He's part of our family," Oz said from behind them. He put his guitar and his bag on the ground. He wore a tag around his neck that read Sunnydale Records.

"Oz, I don't understand," Buffy said. She looked at him imploringly. "Please, please tell me what that means."

"He's part of my pack, Buffy. He's part of Willow, and Willow is part of him. So...that means he's part of my pack, which means he's family." It was one of the longest sentences Oz had ever spoken to Buffy and the surprise showed on her face.

"But..." Buffy said as she turned back to face Angel. She dropped to the floor and pressed her hands to the barrier. She endured the shock for a moment before she had to scoot back. "The barrier doesn't like me, why is that?"

"You're a Slayer," Willow said. "It's set to repel those that might do him harm. It probably sees you as the enemy."

Buffy nodded. "Angel?" she asked. "I love you. I still love you. Does that mean anything to you?"

Angel made a low, snarl-like sound and then looked Buffy directly in the eyes. "Not...any...more," he said at last. He shook his head and turned away, removing his hand from the barrier and sitting back down in the corner. He hugged his knees.

Tears slipped down Buffy's face and she made a strangled sound as she cried. Faith helped her up from the ground.

As they left, Buffy looked over her shoulder at Willow.

"I'll never forgive you for this," she said.

Willow sighed.

******

"How long was she here?" Oz asked.

"I don't know. Long enough. But...." Willow grinned at Oz and then gestured at Angel. "He spoke. He spoke about me and to me!"

Oz smiled. "Maybe he's getting a little better then."

"Understatement of the year!" Willow squealed.

"Are we still gonna do this tonight?" Oz asked.

"Yeah," Willow said. "It's time."

Oz nodded and moved so that he was blocking Willow's body with his own. He spread his arms out and backwards, around her.

Willow took a deep breath and removed the barrier spell.

*************************************************************

 

TBC


	10. A Memory Fading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I abandoned AO3 in July because I'd gotten sick. Then, in early August there was a death in my family.  
> I haven't been able to write since. When I close my eyes, the words aren't there anymore. So...this is my attempt to come back to this site as a writer, and pick up something from before my world crashed down around me.
> 
> The next chapter of Finding North. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for sticking around. And thank you, so much, to the reader(s) who have asked me to please come back.
> 
> This chapter picks up three months after the previous chapter. The time jump is to help with any feeling of inconsistency with the previous direction this fic was taking.

**Three Months Later**

"This is...disturbing," Giles said as he removed his glasses and began to clean them. 

"You've said that before, G-man," Faith replied.

"It's a temporary madness at best, I'm sure," he replied.

They were staring at Buffy, who sat at the table in the middle of the library, reading a book and, very clearly, taking notes. Her hair, which was usually a sun-kissed blonde, was a deep, dark brown.

"So...why did Jane put up with Mr. Darcy treating her like she was below him?" Buffy asked as she looked up from where she'd been reading Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_.

"She did not, as you say, put up with it," Giles replied. "You'll figure that out soon enough." He moved behind the check out counter. "Er....Buffy...?" he asked.

Buffy looked over at him. Her eyes had grown dimmer these last few months, her face less bright. She'd become a little withdrawn, and had started applying herself more steadily to both her homework and her slaying. She was constantly in the company of Faith now and Giles knew she also hung out with Xander and Cordelia regularly but that she'd yet to pick herself up from the event from three months before. Her hair color was a new display of the depression she'd been in and he was worried.

"Yeah, Giles?" Buffy asked as she stood, gathered her books and notes and slid them into her bookbag.

"Your hair?" he asked.

She brushed a hand over the short, dark locks. They haloed her face, cropped close to her jaw line.

"It's great, isn't it?" Buffy said. She grinned at him in a way she hadn't for so long that Giles nodded.

"Come on, B," Faith said, "Let's go check out that vamp-nest before the sun sets."

Buffy smiled and let Faith lead her out of the library.

Giles watched them go, his expression betrayed his worry about his charge. He wondered if she and Willow ever spoke, or saw each other, or if they'd ever mend the rift. He had spent two of the three months saying nothing about what had happened, but now he worried that he'd made the wrong choice. Certainly some adult should step in, at this point, to help shore things up, or to help Buffy find her way through the darkness. The smile, the grin, was a good sign, but Giles feared that it was a temporary happiness and that the girl he'd always known, the one he'd sworn to help and loved like a daughter, was forever changed by this one act - by this one event she had never expected. 

With the rising threat of the Mayor on the horizon, Giles couldn't afford to keep letting her sink, but more...so much more...he worried that the Buffy he had known for the last three years was just gone. He preferred her new dedication to her slaying, but he didn't know how to handle her more serious attitude overall. Part of him felt immensely guilty, because he should have told her the moment he knew Willow and Angel were connected. 

Additionally, he felt guilty because even with these new worries...he missed Willow. She never came to the library when he was there, and she had stopped attending Scooby meetings altogether. Sometimes he'd come into the library in the mornings and find the checkout screen up on the computer with her library card number blinking on the screen and a list of books checked out, but that was all. She had stopped interacting with the gang entirely. 

These two friends forever changed by a demon. It boggled the mind, and often gave him a headache. He rubbed his eyes and gathered up the books on the center table. As he headed back to the stacks, he sighed.

***

Willow let herself in to the mansion quietly, so as not to disturb the residents. She walked quickly, but silently, across the floor and headed into the kitchen. She put the bags she carried down on the stretch of counter near the sink and then filled an empty pot with water and placed it on the stove. 

She kept her senses trained for sounds of movement or indications that Angel or Oz were awake and alert while she carefully put the groceries away and left out the items she needed to prepare her grandmother's recipe for chicken stew.

"You were really quiet," Angel said from behind her.

She smiled as she turned around. "I don't want to bother anyone, I know the moon last night was more difficult than others have been. Is he in the basement?"

Angel gave a slight smile and shifted his body a little awkwardly. 

Willow grinned and nodded as the gesture was familiar and only meant one thing. "When did he end up in your bed?"

"Around midnight," Angel answered. He shifted forward quickly and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and neck. He tugged her slightly, just enough so she fell back against him. With his nose buried in her hair, he breathed in. He let her go an instant later and she laughed.

She resumed her work on the stew, but didn't speak. She waited for him to say whatever it was he'd come out of his room to say. 

"He was a bit more uncontrollable than last time, but...he's going to need you, when he gets up," Angel commented.

She nodded. "Did he get really hurt?" she asked as she lowered the heat on the pot to a simmer.

"I'd never really hurt him," Angel replied moodily.

"I'm aware of that, Angel, I just meant...is there a lot of work for me to do?" Willow said. She got a bottle of blood out of the other refrigerator and poured him a glass. She put the glass in the microwave and got out a handful of peppercorns.

"Oh." Angel looked sheepishly at the floor for a moment before shaking his head. "No. Just some cuts and bruises, and...a bit of throat damage."

Willow nodded as she took the glass of blood out of the microwave and stirred in the peppercorns. She handed it to Angel. "I'll do what I can." She leaned forward slowly and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Just don't damage our boy too much, okay? I still need him in one piece after the moon days."

Angel laughed slightly and nodded. He took the glass of blood with him back to his bedroom.

Willow watched him leave before she turned back to the kitchen to finish up. Her life had changed so dramatically in the last three months that sometimes she still had a hard time accepting, or keeping up with, the changes. 

Her parents had gone on yet another trip to some other exotic country, though this time because of her father's work as an Ambassador, and Willow split her time between school, her Coven and the mansion. 

Angel and Oz had ended up in a friends with benefits kind of relationship - though the sex part only worked during the moon cycle. While she wasn't part of their relationship, Willow had individual relationships with both Oz and Angel; though only her relationship with Oz was sexual in nature. She and Angel still danced around anything too physical, and Willow was okay with that. She wasn't ready to maintain two emotionally and sexually intimate relationships with two disparate men/demons.

At the end of the day, they were also a family - with a three-person dynamic that they built on every day. They had friends over sometimes, depending on both Oz and Angel's mood, and they usually did something together at night after Willow was done with her homework and after Oz's shift at the music store. This time together in the evenings varied from playing a board-game to sitting around reading aloud from Shakespeare and all the things in between.

Willow liked the stability of her new-found family, even if it was sometimes lonely. She missed her friendships with Xander and Buffy - but she wasn't willing to give up Angel (or Oz, for that matter) to get them back.

Willow grabbed the kitchen timer, set it and then took it with her up the stairs. In the room that had been given to her by Angel for when she stayed over, she lit a fire in the huge fireplace and opened her books to the newest assignments.

***************

TBC


	11. A New Direction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow and Oz meet with the gang in the library.

“This has become unacceptable,” Giles said as he stood in front of the long library table. Buffy, Faith, Cordelia, Willow and Oz sat around it.

Willow felt like fiddling nervously with the strap of her book-bag, but refused. She’d done nothing wrong, and she’d made it clear to her supposed friends what her lines were.

“We need you,” Giles directed his comment at Willow and she sat up a little straighter.

“For what?” Willow gave a slight guffaw. “To be the sidekick to the great and powerful Buffy?”

“Willow!” Buffy said, clearly upset.

“Well, I mean, for Goddess' sake, what am I expected to do…come back to be a member of the Scoobies and follow you around like a puppy?” Willow’s voice was laced with a bitterness that no one had anticipated.

“It has come to my attention that you are studying to be a fully-fledged witch, and that you’re doing well – that your Coven is doing good works and that you’re learning quite a great deal. I think you could be a vital and valuable member in the fight against darkness and evil. Do you not?” Giles asked.

Willow barely resisted rolling her bright green eyes. Oz put a hand on her arm.

“I’m interested in helping, but not at the cost of the life I’ve got now, and not while we leave aside the issues we’ve had,” Willow said at last.

“And you, Oz? What do you think about the latest developments?” Xander asked as he leaned against Anya on the staircase. Anya, for her part, was staring out the window and very obviously not paying any attention whatsoever. Xander and Cordelia had broken up two months before, and Anya seemed happy to be in Xander's orbit, not to mention his girlfriend now.

“I’m good with it,” Oz said simply. “Either way. We come back into the fold or we don’t, it’s fine by me.”

“What about the things going on with Angel? I mean….he’s a vampire! Aren’t we all concerned, at all, about that? And mostly, I mean…I’m concerned for me. What if he goes all evil again? His obsession this time won’t be about Buffy and her friends, but about Willow and….her….whatever new life she has now! We could be walking into major badness here, way worse than the Mayor!” Cordelia exclaimed as she rose from where she’d been sitting. “What happens to the future, my future mostly, if something bad, worse, goes down with the Angel situation?” On a cry, Cordelia exited the library.

“Well that was…something,” Faith commented.

“I don’t think anything bad is going to happen where A-angel…is concerned,” Buffy said quietly. “But I do think we could use Willow’s help, and Oz’s too, with the Mayor situation.”

“Alright. How about I play go-between?” Faith volunteered. “I live with Willow, and I can bridge the gap between the two groups and we can get all the help we need that way without anyone having to feel hurt, used or like a sidekick. Okay? Can we all just go to our separate corners and chill now?”

"Right," Xander scoffed. "I don't think there's any 'chill' about what's going on." He glared at Willow for a moment and then turned a sullen look in Oz's direction.

"It doesn't matter what's going on," Buffy said quietly. "What's most...most important is that the Mayor has some kind of big -brewing evil going on and we don't have even one idea of how to fight it or how it'll come about." Buffy stood and walked over to stand with Giles. "I...think we can work together, to take down the Mayor, and that's what's most important."

"This is so painfully awkward to watch," Anya said casually. "I mean, you guys don't have anything in common any more, and it's ridiculous to think that you're all just going to get along. Willow hasn't done anything wrong, and it's not like she has to help you." Frustrated, she rose from the stairs and grabbed Xander's hand. "Come on Xander!" She rolled her eyes at the group and pulled Xander along with her out the door.

Xander could be heard saying, "But Ahn! I wasn't finished!"

After a moment, Willow burst out laughing. Then she stood. "Listen," she said to Buffy. "I'm not going to give up on part of my family just to make it easier for you, but I think...I think we could work out something, some kind of help, about the Mayor if Faith's willing to go between the two groups." Willow looked at Faith. "You just can't get all slay-happy when you're around Angel, okay? It really freaks him out and the last time it set him back for days."

Faith rolled her eyes a little and then nodded. "I got it, Red. I'll play nice, I promise."

Willow nodded. "Okay, well....you three," she gestured to Buffy, Faith and Giles. "Work that out between you and let us know. We've got...things."

As Willow left, Oz followed. He looked over his shoulder on his way out the door and smiled slightly. "As Willow goes, so goes my nation," he said.

When they were gone, Giles patted Buffy on the shoulder. "That was quite brave of you, Buffy," he said softly.

She shook her head, her gaze still on the door where they'd just left. "No, it wasn't. It was necessary." She turned towards Faith. "Okay, so, tell me about the increased vampire activity at Fairview Resting Center that you caught last night...was it a group?" she asked.

Faith grinned. "Just one guy, actually. Platinum blonde hair, British. Very cool, if he wasn't a vamp. Didn't get to dust him or anything, because the dude had moves...like he'd come up against a Slayer before..." At their looks, Faith trailed off.

"William the Bloody," Giles said quietly.

Battle light danced for a moment in Buffy's eyes, before they calmed. She grinned at Faith. "Spike's back. Last time I gave him a pass, because he helped me with the whole Acathla situation, but we'll go on the defensive there just in case. We should try to figure out what he's here for. Did you happen to see a really crazy brunette with him? He goes around with a woman, a vampire named Dru - who, by the by, Angel sired."

Faith shook her head. "So...this Spike could be on our team?"

Buffy laughed. "Not really, no. He's out for himself, and the books talk about how vicious he can be, but...I dunno if he'll be a threat."

"We should definitely be prepared for any situation where William is concerned," Giles said. "Now, in another area, we need to assess what kind of evil the Mayor is working out. Any ideas?"

They spent the rest of the Saturday afternoon talking and planning. When they were finished, Buffy and Faith went out to patrol and Giles returned home to his books and research.

****

TBC


	12. Watching For It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faith meets/gets a new Watcher.
> 
> Spike spies on Angel --and finds out that things didn't pan out as he'd expected. (Implies past Spike/Angel)
> 
> Spike has a conversation with Joyce.
> 
> Willow and Tara help Anya look for a lost necklace and find out what it was really for. (Willow/Tara tease)
> 
> Set after The Wish in Canon, but before Helpless.  
> 

"Wesley Wyndam-Pryce," he introduced himself as he held out a hand to Giles. "Rupert Giles, I presume?"

Giles coughed slightly. "Uh, yes." Giles shook Wesley's hand firmly before stepping back and introducing Buffy. "Buffy Summers, and that's Faith Lehane," he added.

Wesley turned towards Faith with a bright smile on his face. "Ah, Faith. So good to meet you. I expect we'll have our work cut out for us."

Faith frowned. "Yeah...no." She turned to look at Giles. "I was fine with the arrangement where you were Watcher for both of us," she said a touch petulantly.

"Apparently the counsel was not," he replied as he took off his glasses to clean them.

"No offense," Faith began as she stared at Wesley. "But I don't need a new Watcher. Giles and I were working out fine. 'Kay? Promise." She huffed a little, crossed her arms and leaned back against the book-cage.

Buffy chuckled a little then grabbed her backpack from off the table. "I've got to get home," she said. "Faith?"

Faith pushed off from the book-cage and followed Buffy from the room. She wasn't a student, so she'd spent most of her day trolling the cemeteries for a little daylight vamp action. Tonight, she had plans with Buffy before Buffy went home, then she was grabbing something to eat with Willow later.

Once they were gone, Wesley pushed his glasses up on his nose with a quick gesture and then turned to Giles. "Spirited, isn't she?"

"Oh yes," Giles said sarcastically before removing himself to his office.

***

Spike leaned against the wall in the courtyard, well hidden by its shadows - even to two supernatural creatures. He stared into the room through the wide glass-panelled doors and windows that led from the mansion's main living room to the courtyard.

It seemed that things were very different now, from what he'd left behind. He scoffed slightly as he saw Angel wrap a possessive hand around Oz's wrist and shake him slightly.

Spike remembered a time when those hands were wrapped around his wrists in the effort to keep him still and quiet under the covers. Spike shuddered. No, not a good time to remember what was long past.

As Oz reared back and pulled out of Angel's grasp, it appeared as though the two were having an argument. Spike moved closer to the far window for a better look and the chance to overhear the argument. 

He wanted a cigarette, but he didn't dare light one. The smell and the glow would give away his location and he wanted to watch the interplay between Angel and Oz a bit longer. He stepped just a bit closer and could now hear the argument quite well.

***

"We won't get into this now!" Oz snarled.

Angel stepped back, instead of forward as Oz had expected. "I don't intend to get into anything, Daniel."

Oz's eyes lit with anger. "Oz. I go by Oz and you know it."

"I like to differentiate between you and the wolf," Angel explained.

"There is no difference."

"There is. And I've been trying to get you to understand that," Angel replied calmly. All the fight had left his body.

"Guys?" Willow called as she entered the mansion. She watched their faces fall as they stepped more carefully away from each other. "What's going on?"

Oz shook his head and stalked away, across the room and down the hall to his suite. It was on the same floor as Angel's, but across the house in a way that usually made them very comfortable to lead their lives separate from one another.

Willow turned to look at Angel. "Angel?" she asked.

The right corner of Angel's mouth lifted and then fell. He wrung his hands for a moment before pulling them both through his hair. "I called him Daniel."

Willow laughed. "Angel, c'mon. I know you have a point about when he's with you versus when he's not but....he's the wolf all the time."

Angel crossed his arms. "If he was the wolf all the time, our arrangement would work all the time," he said shortly.

Willow sighed. "He can't be with you like that all the time. You're stronger than him most days and maybe....I'm sorry Angel but....maybe..." she trailed off and began to fidget.

"Maybe he doesn't want me when he's not inside a moon cycle?" Angel asked quietly.

Willow nodded.

"Yeah," Angel replied. "I'd considered that. I just...want him to admit it to me. Talk to him?"

Willow nodded again and then moved forward. Angel enveloped her in a long hug and then stepped back. "What're you here for?" he asked not unkindly.

She took a deep breath. "I need to get back to my folks and I promised Faith we'd hang out later tonight, but...I have to pick up the supplies I left here - magick ones. I promised Anya that Tara and I would help her search for something she lost. She lost it to magick, so magick should help her find it."

Angel nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Are you going to be okay?" Willow asked a little anxiously. She knew that sometimes bad interactions with people could set Angel back for days - sometimes back into catatonia.

"Yeah. Yeah," he said as he walked off and into his room.

Willow watched him go before heading up the stairs to her room.

****

Spike moved quickly away from the mansion and headed to the Summers' house. He had loads more to figure out before being able to come up with any sort of plan.

****

"That's right. A chaos demon. They've got antlers, you know. So I said I wouldn't stand for any of that, and she said I didn't have to," Spike explained as he sipped the hot chocolate Joyce had made him. It was a myth that Vampires couldn't eat and drink human food - most just preferred not to. Spike, however, enjoyed the delights of the human world, which often included food. The food didn't make the bloodlust go away or anything, but it, like alcohol, could take the edge off. 

Joyce nodded and then folded her hands. "You don't deserve to be treated that way. Cheating is cheating, whether you're human or...immortal."

Spike smiled. "'Xactly." He stood and then stretched. "Thanks for the company, love, and the beverage." He grabbed his coat and slid it back on.

"Oh," Joyce said as she stood. "You don't have to go. It's nice having a.....friend over."

"We're friends alright, love. I just don't think being here when the Slayer gets back will be good for my overall complexion. I don't look good in ash," Spike explained.

Joyce laughed a little and then nodded. "Of course. Well, I'll see you to the door."

"She's alright, your girl. For....you know, a mortal enemy. You've done a good job with her. For what it's worth," Spike said as Joyce opened the front door. "I wouldn't worry too much about the development with the other Slayer. They've got so much in common, you know?"

Joyce smiled. "Yes, you're right. That's true. I just..." She sighed and rubbed her hands together. "I worry about her out at night like this, and about Faith not being as serious about.....things as Buffy is. Of course, you know she hasn't confided in me or anything but I can see....I can tell that she's still so heartbroken over Angel."

Spike nodded. "And his moving on with the pup and Red, I can see that'd take the wind out of her sails a bit. But, she'll be okay, Joyce. You'll see." He leaned forward and gave Joyce a slight hug before disappearing into the darkness.

He liked Joyce. She was a font of knowledge about the Slayer and the Slayer's world, but she also...well, she reminded him of the good parts of his own mum. She was a good mother, and she seemed to like Spike as well. He knew he could do for a bit of friendship, certainly. No family left to speak of.

*****

"So, where's Xander tonight?" Willow asked Anya as the three of them prepared the spell.

"Out doing some guy thing....with other guys, I think," Anya replied as she kneeled on the floor.

"But...Xander doesn't have any guy friends," Willow said.

Anya raised one eyebrow. "He does now. You....you and he haven't really been friends in a while, isn't that right, Willow?" she said in her blunt way.

"C-can't we just do t-the sp-spell?" Tara asked quietly.

"It's okay Tara. Anya's not wrong," Willow said. "Yes, that's true, Anya. And that's a sad thing, for the both of us, but....it can't be helped."

Anya nodded. "So... we call to the forces of temporal magicks to try to get the necklace back, okay?"

Willow smiled. "Yes. What is the necklace, anyway?"

"Family heirloom," Anya said flatly.

"M-must be very old and p-priceless," Tara added. "You've b-been a de-demon for what, 1100 years?"

"Around about there, yes. And it is. Ancient and priceless," Anya replied.

Willow rubbed her hands together. "Alright then, let's get the spell started. You'll know when you find it, right?" She addressed this last to Anya, who nodded.

As they began the spell, and magicks starting working, the air heated slightly and sparks of light began to flicker in front of them. As a group, they saw flashes and pictures from worlds not their own. Terrible worlds, vicious worlds, better worlds, lighter worlds, and others that couldn't be given real form. Finally, the world spun into a clear picture of a world that looked much like their own, only different - dark.

Anya began muttering to herself about her necklace and looking frantically for it in the moving picture before them.

Eventually, the magicks became so strong that Tara couldn't hold it and stepped away, breaking the circle. The moving-image of the darker Sunnydale vanished and Anya screamed.

"What did you do? It's not here! It's not here!" she cried.

Willow bent over, clutching her chest with her hands as she took great, deep breaths.

"I-I'm s-sorry," Tara said softly. "It was too strong, it wanted to pull us in."

Tears filled Anya's eyes as she stood. She nodded. "I was afraid of something like that." After a moment, she glared at Willow. "I thought you were strong enough! Next time, I'll just do it myself." 

As she stormed off, Willow called after her. "What was so important about that damn necklace anyway?"

Anya stopped and whirled around. "It holds the source of my power. Without it, I'm not longer a....Genie...but I'm not just human either," she said quietly.

Willow nodded. "I feel badly for you, then, about that, but we can't help that the temporal spell was just too powerful. You shouldn't have yelled at Tara."

Anya sighed. She nodded. "Yeah. I....I've got to go," she said and resumed leaving the room.

Willow and Tara cleaned up the spell work and supplies silently.

"Is it...b-bad to say I don't mind her not being a v-vengeance demon anymore?" Tara asked.

"A what?" Willow asked, shocked. "She's a Genie."

Tara raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "Her e-energy reads vengeance demon, Willow," she said softly.

Willow nodded and then laughed a little. "Makes sense," she commented. "Want to go with me to meet up with Faith?"

Tara smiled and nodded, her long streaked-purple blonde hair falling in her face. 

Willow smiled back and brushed some of the hair away from Tara's eyes. _Tara was gorgeous when she smiled_.

*****************

TBC


	13. People You've Been Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faith and Willow go on a trip.  
> Xander confronts Oz and Angel.  
> Set after Helpless - but Buffy and Giles are over the trial by now - but before Bad Girls. And of course, let's keep in mind that any canon stuff would have gone quite differently in this world.
> 
> Warning: Some myth-stuff about vampires is taken from TVD, just because I personally think TVD vampires make more sense.
> 
> Shorter chapter. Lost the flow of it in the middle, so I'm sorry about that.

"It's okay. You really can't afford to lose the job, or your place at school. Graduation is only ten weeks away. Besides, we don't know how long I'll be gone - the full moon is coming up," Willow explained as she finished packing her suitcase. "I don't...have any idea how long I'll be gone. It's why I submitted to graduate early."

"One of us should go with you," Oz replied.

"I can't," Angel said softly. "It'd be more than a week by car, and Willow needs to get there on the overnight plane. While that would work...arriving in New York in broad daylight...just wouldn't."

"I've been working on a way for you to get around in daylight. A...charm, something to wear. I'll get back to that as soon as...." Willow trailed off. Her eyes filled.

Oz reached out and folded her into a hug. "I'll come with you."

"No, it's alright, really. Faith is going with me. Tara would if she could," Willow replied. She took a deep breath and stepped back, out of Oz's reach. "I've got to go pick up Faith. I'll be back, and I'll call every night just to...check in."

"No need to check on us, we'll be fine," Angel said, looking pointedly at Oz.

"We'll be fine," Oz said flatly.

Willow nodded and picked up her suitcase. "Tara's going to drop by on Friday, just to make sure everything's alright, pre-full moon wise." She swallowed hard and then embraced them both in turn. "Please, don't....please be careful. While I'm gone. Be safe. I need my family when I come back, and that's you."

She grabbed her suitcase and raced out of the room. Moments later, both Angel and Oz heard the front door click closed. Angel turned to look at Oz.

"The mansion isn't exactly home, is it?" he asked quietly.

Oz nodded slightly and his left eyebrow rose slightly. Since it was his 'in agreement' gesture, Angel said nothing more. It was good they were on the same page at least.

*****

"It's likely we wouldn't know at all, if Faith hadn't told Buffy," Giles said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"She just wasn't gonna tell us, no matter what bad thing happened next, was she?" Xander asked angrily.

"You can't blame her, Xand. You guys aren't friends anymore. You won't accept her new situation and she can't apologize for who she loves. She loved you and you totally turned on her. I mean, I know it's hard for you, but let's keep this about Willow. They're her parents," Anya offered.

"Whose side are you on?" Xander asked petulantly.

"Willow's, about her parents anyway. Who wouldn't be?" Anya said. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "Come on, not one of you doesn't feel badly for her and you know it."

"It is very sad for Miss Rosenberg," Wesley was quick to agree. "I think Xander's point may be that whatever has happened, does not erase her choices as of late."

Xander's eyes widened. He really didn't want Wesley on his side, but....he'd take what he could get.

"We're getting off track," Buffy said. "I feel bad for Wil, I do. Was it a plane crash?" she directed the last to Giles.

Giles shook his head sadly. "Sadly no. Military conflict in whichever country they were visiting this month. Their bodies are being flown to New York, and according to Faith, Willow is making arrangements for them there and meeting with lawyers. Faith is going with her, as someone should. So, for a while, we are without our second Slayer."

"Any idea when she'll be back?" Buffy replied.

"No, none. However, we should all be keeping Willow in our thoughts as we go about our duties over the next week. This must be dreadful for her, to lose her parents so young," Giles commented.

"Yeah, just dreadful," Xander muttered.

Anya nodded. "They weren't around, and didn't love her. But...losing your parents is tough at any age, so I think it'd be good to be there for her - even those of you who aren't her friends anymore."

Xander sighed, sent Anya a look and fled the library. He had a wolf and a vampire to talk to.

******

"This is a one-time non-moon thing," Oz said as he leapt at Angel. "This is anger and Willow's grief, and...."

"Got it," Angel said as he attacked Oz's mouth with his own. After a few moments, Angel pushed Oz against the wall. 

Oz wrapped his legs around Angel's waist and leaned forward. "Just fucking get your hands on me," he growled.

"Trying," Angel said as the front door to the mansion slammed open.

"What the fuck?" Xander yelled as he turned the corner and found them. 

Oz dropped back down to the floor and Angel stepped back.

Angel slipped his hands in his pockets. "No, we weren't quite there yet," he said calmly.

"You waited, what, two minutes, Oz, to cheat on Willow with this scumbag?" Xander said.

Oz blinked slowly for a moment and then glared at Xander. "I am not cheating on Willow. And this is none of your business."

"What are you doing here, Xander?" Angel asked as he sat on the fireplace ledge.

"I..." Xander looked back and forth between them for a moment before deciding what to say. "I...wanted to check on Willow, but realized she'd already left, so I wanted to...you know...see if you guys knew how she was doing."

"You haven't said a kind word to her in months, and now you want to see how she is?" Angel asked acidly.

"Yeah but.....hey! What the fuck were you two doing then if it wasn't a cheating thing?" Xander asked.

"We were, indeed, about to fuck. Not that it is any of your business," Angel said casually.

"What the hell is going on?" Xander whirled and faced Oz. "Did you and Willow break up?"

"No, we didn't break up. We have....an arrangement," Oz replied moodily. "Willow's going to be okay, you can go now."

Xander frowned. He had no idea what was going on, and yet, was it really any of his business anymore? He shrugged. "I have no idea what to do with that information, but, seriously, yuck. Why on earth Willow would tie herself to wolf-boy and evil-dead boy, I have no clue. But, if you're hurting her, I swear, Oz!"

"You swear what, Xander? That you'll run away disappointed that she's not your emotional punching bag anymore?" Oz said snidely.

"You can't mean that. You know I love Willow, she's like a sister to me," Xander said.

"Yeah, a sister you so conveniently ignored over the last few months because she helped me," Angel said quietly.

"Yeah, right. If you mean bringing you back from hell, sure. Right. Cuz I don't think sleeping with you counts," Xander replied as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared.

"Take that back," Oz said in a dangerously low voice.

Xander shook his head.

Angel was in front of Xander in mere moments. He shoved Xander back a step and then got so close to him, their noses could have been touching. A few short seconds later, he vamped out. "Willow and I don't have sex. It's not any of your business, but I feel like doing you the favor of not ripping your head from your body," he said softly. 

Too softly, Oz thought. Angel's voice was scary and bordering on frightening in a violent way. A thrill went down Oz's spine. Maybe it was closer to the full moon than he thought. He reached out, grabbed Angel by the hips and pulled him back. Angel turned his head, morphed back into his human visage and stared at Oz. Hard. Oz lifted the corner of his mouth slightly at the same time he lifted his left shoulder slightly. It said all Angel needed to know and he let go of Xander and walked back across the room.

Shaking a little, Xander looked at Oz. "Is he.....has he lost his soul by...with whatever he's been doing with you?"

"No," Oz said shortly. "You should leave. And Willow doesn't need to deal with this kind of stuff when she gets back from her parents funeral."

Xander nodded and left quickly.

Oz marched across the room to Angel and resumed what they'd been doing before they were interrupted.

********************

TBC


	14. Out of the Game and Across the Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow and Faith return from the trip to New York, Willow and Faith talk. Willow makes plans.  
> Xander helps Buffy patrol. Buffy and Xander run into Angel and Oz -- who are also on patrol. 
> 
> Spoilers for one plot line from Bad Girls (3x14).

Willow pulled the car into the driveway and sat back. She felt as though she had aged years in the last three weeks. She sighed, turned the car off and reached over to gently nudge Faith. "We're home," she explained quietly as Faith rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"The only thing good about that trip was getting to ride on a plane, twice. It'd been a bus ride from Boston, you know?" Faith said sleepily. She'd never been on a plane before and the sheer joy of that experience had almost outweighed her desire to help Willow, to comfort Willow.

"Yeah," Willow replied as she got out of the car. "The airport fees for the car were...astronomical," she commented absently as she removed her luggage, and Faith's, from the trunk.

Faith unfolded out of the car and shut the door too hard behind her. She grabbed the suitcase and stared at the house. "Will it be weird?" she asked.

"Will what be?" Willow responded.

Faith nodded towards the house. "Living here, being here...without them? And....you know, with them...buried so far away? At all?"

Willow flinched slightly. Faith rubbed a hand up and down her back. "I'm sorry, Wil."

"It's alright. I just.....they were both born in New York, grew up there. My grandmother is buried in the Jewish cemetery there. It's what they would have wanted. But, to answer your question....no, I don't think it'll be hard. I'm not here a lot, and growing up here....they weren't home a lot. You know?" Willow replied.

"I get that," Faith opened the front door with her key and stood back -- letting Willow go in ahead of her. They moved through the house separately, Faith going up to unpack and start a load of laundry, Willow leaving her suitcase in the foyer and locking the door behind them. 

Willow flopped down on the living room sofa and closed her eyes. She was just so tired. The arrangements, the flights, the bank accounts, cancelling the maid service, the...everything had just been so exhausting. She felt the grief, recognized it, but...she refused to be ruled by it. She'd loved her parents, and in their own way they had loved her. They'd left her everything, and even some assets she hadn't been aware of. A fortune in money and apartments across the world that she'd never, ever known about.

It helped make her decision easier. But first, she needed to talk to Faith about it. She pushed herself up, off the couch, and started upstairs. She knocked loudly on Faith's bedroom door. She could hear music being played inside, and out in the hall she could hear the washing machine going. The door swung open.

"Yeah?" Faith asked as she danced backwards in a tank top and underwear. "What's up?"

Willow gave a small laugh and entered the room. She sat on the loveseat in the little sitting area and gestured to the chair opposite. "I'd like to talk, if you could turn that down?"

Faith smiled and shut off the music. "Everything okay? I was feeling like we were five by five, but if there's something...?"

"Five what by five what?" Willow asked. She asked all the time, Faith had never answered.

"Old radio slang. My mom used to use it. Means everything's okay, everything's copacetic," Faith replied as she pulled her legs up underneath her in the chair.

Willow nodded. "I wanted to talk about some things with you. Changes I want to make, especially with graduation coming, and everything."

"Shoot."

"Okay. Um...." Willow looked around the room nervously. "I'm going to put this house in your name. And move out. Into the mansion with Oz and Angel," she said it fast, in the hopes that would make it go over better.

"Wait, what?" Faith asked. She held up her hands. "Okay. I'm cool with you moving out. Even figured you might. But....the house is yours, Wil. I don't need it. I love living here, you know, but I've got no need for property-owning." She clutched her hands together and set them in her lap.

"I need to know you're covered if anything happens to me, okay? We're.....we're family. We've been since you moved in, okay? I might move very far away, or the magicks could get away from me one day and....it could be bad. I need to know, in that event, that you're covered. I want to give the house to you. But....I also want to invite Xander and Anya to live here as well. They'll need a place, once school is over. His parents won't let him stay there, they were clear about that from the very beginning, and Anya shouldn't have to be alone. I'd like Tara to move in too, the attic could be turned into a nice apartment, and it already has an outside entrance," Willow explained. "I want to give these people, but especially you, a home. Okay?"

Faith took a deep breath, held it for a minute and then let it out slowly. "Okay. But....I pay my way. Utilities, food, that kind of thing. I pay my way. I don't think you should feel obligated to help out Xander. He's been nothing but a pain to you since I got here," she said.

"He's still my family and he'll need a place. If you don't want him here, though....that's fine. It's your call. It's your home, with the addition of Anya and Tara as conditions," Willow explained. "Tara's got a great dorm, but I want her to be around people she knows and likes, people who could be family. That's you, that's Anya. Anya has her own apartment, but I can tell she's been...lonely. Even with her dating Xander, I can tell. Okay?"

Faith nodded. "Okay. Deal." She jumped up, did a little bootie dance. "Hello, look at me, Miss Property Owner soon to be!" she exclaimed.

Willow grinned. Quickly, though, her smile faded. "What are you going to do about you and B?" she asked quietly.

Faith's elation dissolved. She lowered herself back into the chair. "It's been fun. And wild. And just what she, and I, needed. But.....she doesn't love me," she explained softly. "I didn't expect her to. Maybe that's my problem. But, she doesn't. She's the light, you know? For me. But....I'm a stopgap. So....I'm gonna let her go, let her be. I'm part of the gang, you know, in a way I didn't expect to be. It's like...her accepting me, you giving me a place to live, made me one of you. And that's....so much. I'll be forever grateful. But I gotta let B go. It's not love. Not to her. It's....someone warm when she needs one, someone she can take places....even someone that shocks her mother. And I can't keep being that." Faith reached out, squeezed Willow's hand. Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

Willow yanked Faith over to the loveseat and pulled her into a hug. "You're doing the right thing, Faith. And you are one of us. Don't ever forget that. Even Cordelia likes you. And she's an honorary member of the Scoobies. You are family. And we'll take care of you, regardless of Buffy."

Faith nodded and pulled away. "I wish you two would make up," she said after a few moments.

Willow smiled gently and stood to leave. "So do I," she said as she left.  
*******

Xander shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked behind Buffy. It was a Friday night, and he was on patrol with her -- he couldn't say he was helping, exactly, but he was doing his best to keep her company and make sure she wasn't out patrolling alone.

"So they're back then?" he asked a little petulantly.

"Yeah. Giles said. Faith's not gonna patrol tonight though...she wants to be around for Willow, or something," Buffy added.

"Okay, but....did Giles say if Faith said anything about how Willow's actually doing, or when she'll be back in school or....anything more than just, hey, theyre back?" Xander asked.

"Not really. Giles just told me they're back and that Faith checked in. Said he thought she sounded tired." Buffy shrugged. She liked Faith, she trusted her, and she had really come to depend on her over the last few months, but...she wasn't bothered by the lack of information. Faith typically said very little and Giles wouldn't have conveyed anything irrelevant.

"Okay." Xander shuffled his feet. He still hadn't told Buffy what he'd seen at the mansion -- what he'd witnessed between Oz and Angel weeks ago. He didn't know if he should. He figured it'd just hurt her, which he didn't want to do, but....didn't she deserve to know her ex-honey also played for the other team and that her ex-best friend was probably going to get hurt by it?

"I can see you thinking really hard about something over there, Xand. You've been not saying something to me for weeks. What is it? Just spit it out, whatever's going on," Buffy said.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea to..." Xander looked over her shoulder. "Hey, watch out!" he cried.

Buffy leapt into action, spinning around and kicking out, sending the vampire who had come up behind them flying. She gave Xander a little smile and then ran after the fledgling. 

Xander sank down onto the nearest stone bench and watched as Buffy kicked ass. He'd always enjoyed watching her. When the vampire was dust and Buffy came running back to him, he grinned.

"Dust in the wind!" she shouted. She took a deep breath and pushed her short dark hair back out of her eyes. "I think that's the last one for tonight, it's been slow lately, you know?"

"Yeah," Xander said as he rose. "I think I'll head home. Walk me?"

Buffy smiled. "Of course. But, on the way...you have to tell me what it is, Xand. We can't keep secrets, okay? Not after....everything with Willow and Angel. We're family. We've got to keep the lines of communication open," she said.

Xander linked arms with Buffy and pulled her in the direction of the entrance to the cemetery. As they rounded a large mausoleum, he felt Buffy go tense next to him. Just ahead of them, Angel and Oz were battling a couple of vampires. 

"What do they think they're doing?" Buffy asked. Her voice was annoyed, verging on angry.

"Uh....beating up vampires, by the look of things. I guess," Xander responded.

Buffy stepped away from Xander and put her hands on her hips. Her eyes narrowed, her lips set into a pout. "Well, I disapprove. This is my job. I'm the Slayer. I mean....I'm one of two. You know what I mean! This is a Buffy job! Or, you know, Faith as well! But, come on....no wonder there's been no action if these two are out patrolling too!" she complained.

Xander nodded. "Listen, before you go over there...." he began, but it was too late. Angel dusted the vampire he'd been fighting then Oz dusted the vampire he'd been fighting and Buffy was already marching over. Xander hung his head and followed.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Buffy asked angrily.

Angel blinked and lifted his gaze from where it had rested on Oz. He looked at Buffy, who marched up to him and shoved him back a step.

"These are my...our...mine and Faith's cemeteries and we don't need either one of you taking your lives into your hands by helping out. You're not helping. Are you patrolling every night?" she screeched.

Oz growled low in his throat, but merely stepped over to Angel's side. His claws retracted. His eyes went from deep, deep black back to their hazel-green.

"The cemeteries are not owned by you, Buffy," Angel said kindly. "And yes, we do patrol every night. Or, we have since Willow's been gone."

Buffy stomped her foot. "Well, she's back. They got back today. So you can stop. I'd been wondering why my patrols had hit boredom levels, and it's you two! Oz, I hope you realize you could get seriously dead by all of this! Angel, you should know better."

Oz rolled his eyes. "I use the wolf parts of me to patrol, Buffy. It's not dangerous for me. And Angel's around if I get into a jam." Oz took a few calming deep breaths. "Who told you Willow was back?"

"Giles. Faith called to check in. Not that I need to explain myself. You two are the two who need to be explain-y!" Buffy said.

"We've already explained. I'm a vampire, he's a werewolf. We hunt vampires and demons at night, unless Oz has a shift at the record store. End of story," Angel replied.

"Does Willow come too?" Buffy's eyes filled. She just couldn't believe that Willow had reached some kind of normal life with Oz and Angel. With her ex. It felt like Willow had gotten all the good parts of the life Buffy had wanted. She crossed her arms.

"Not that it's any of your business, but, no," Oz said. "Willow doesn't patrol."

Xander snorted, then shook his head when Buffy shot him a questioning glance. "I think Willow backs out of a lot of things with the two of you. Neither one of you even went with her to New York. Maybe she's more done with both of you than you thought?" Xander said nastily.

Buffy frowned. "What's he talking about?"

Xander blanched.

Oz sighed.

Angel squeezed Oz's shoulder and then turned towards Buffy. "I would gather it's about things Xander knows nothing about, or feels he has the right to run his mouth about," he replied.

Buffy made a huffing noise. "Someone tell me what's going on. Right now!"

"Xander walked in on Oz and I in a.....compromising position," Angel elaborated. "It is his belief that Oz is cheating on Willow. With me. That is not the case."

Xander laughed mirthlessly for a moment. "You can't seriously think I'd ever think Willow would let the two of you hook up?"

"You're....you're...." Buffy sputtered. It took her a moment, and then she saw red. She flew towards Angel, landing several blows to his face and chest before he began fighting back. 

Instead of joining in on the fight, Oz extended his claws and teeth and grabbed Buffy around the waist. "I will bite you if you don't stop," he said. His voice was deadly quiet.

As Buffy backed off, Oz placed himself between her and Angel.

"That was way out of line," Xander reprimanded Oz. "You'd bite her? Turn her? Because she was beating up evil-dead boy?"

Oz growled. 

Xander shuddered as the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He felt a brief wash of fear before he stood a little taller and glared at Oz. "Seriously, man...you are way off book. Out of line, off the charts. Game over. What is wrong with you?"

Oz's features melted back into human as he got control of himself. "Angel is pack. Willow is pack. As a wolf, I will defend them with my life."

Tears, a mix of sadness and anger, rolled down Buffy's face. "Let's just...go, Xand. I'll...I'll walk you home."

Xander nodded and they left the cemetery.

********

After dropping Xander off at his house, Buffy headed towards her house.

It took a few moments, in her distracted state, for her to realize she was being followed. Another few minutes passed before she worked out a plan.

She ducked into an alleyway between two houses and waited for whoever, or whatever, was following her. As the person passed by, she grabbed him and pulled him back into the dark.

She kicked him down onto the ground and, fear and despair closing in on her emotionally, she stabbed out hard with the stake in her hand. It took her several moments, as she watched the blood bloom on his chest, for her to figure out what she'd done.

Buffy covered her face with her hands and began to cry. 

She rocked a little on her feet and then used one hand to search the body for a wallet. _Deputy Mayor Allan Finch_ was on a business card. She cringed. He'd also been carrying a few manila folders. Buffy grabbed them, but was too anxious to flip through. She looked around. It was dark, they were out of the street lights, in a good part of town.

She put the files on the ground and dragged the body further into the dark. She laid him carefully on the ground and closed his eyes. She looked around for something to cover him with. There, on top of someone's garbage can, was an old sheet. She laid it over him.

Buffy grabbed the files and ran to her house. She needed to call Giles. He'd know what to do.

Just outside her bedroom, she picked up the phone. When Giles answered she said, "I need you to come. Get Wesley too. It's bad. I don't know what to do."

"Buffy?" Giles voice was concerned in her ear.

"Yes. Please hurry. Down the street from my house. Uh....corner of Revelio and Pine. Between the two houses on the left side. Please, Giles. It's bad," Buffy said.

"Wesley and I will be right there. We'll come to your house to get you. Be waiting outside. We'll deal with whatever it is then. I promise you, we'll deal with it."

After they hung up, Buffy walked back into her room. She slid the files under her bed and then went into the bathroom. She washed her hands thoroughly, watching as the blood ran down the drain. It occurred to her, in a distant part of her mind, that she'd probably tracked blood on her window and on the house phone, but she didn't attend to it.

She went outside to wait.

*********************

TBC


	15. Where the Consequences Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giles, Wesley, Buffy and gang deal with what Buffy has done.
> 
> We pick up the next day, after the event.

"Thank you for coming, everyone," Giles said softly as he stood in front of the long table in the middle of the library. "There is a grave matter to discuss, and Buffy felt like she could not come to terms with it without all of you being made aware." Giles turned to look at Buffy, who sat with her head down in a chair that was pushed up against the book cage.

Cordelia, Anya and Xander were seated. Wesley stood behind them. 

The library doors swung open and Willow, followed by Faith and Oz, rushed into the room.

"I'm sorry we're late," Willow said as she and Oz went to sit down in the two available chairs.

"Yeah, B...Giles, everyone...sorry, got here as fast as we could. What's the what?" Faith asked as she boosted herself up onto the check-out counter.

"I was just getting to that. I appreciate you all coming in on a Saturday morning. A progression of events from last night led to a rather...unfortunate accident that Buffy would like you all to be aware of. As it happens, there is also some new information on the situation with the mayor," Giles said. He looked at Buffy again and directed his next comment to her. "Would you like to tell the tale, Buffy, or shall I?"

Buffy shook her head. With her dark locks hiding part of her face she said softly, "I accidentally killed someone."

"How'd you kill a vamp on accident? Isn't that, like, your job?" Xander asked.

Buffy's eyes filled. "Not a vampire, Xand."

"Oh, okay," he replied. "What kind of demon are we talking about?"

Buffy closed her eyes.

"This might be better if I tell the story, Buffy," Giles said. "I do not want you going through interrogations and misunderstandings."

Buffy nodded, but her eyes remained closed. In a show of support, Faith dropped down from the counter and went to stand beside Buffy. 

"Last night, after a rather eventful and...emotionally taxing confrontation with Angel and...I am sorry to say, Oz...Buffy walked Xander home. Afterwards, on her way home, she was understandably distracted by some saddening and....alarming news. A short while into her walk from Xander's, she felt someone following her. Her Slayer instincts on alert, Buffy grabbed this person, they engaged in a short fight, and Buffy stabbed him with a stake," Giles explained. He took off his glasses and began to clean them. "After a few moments, she realized that he was human, and not a demon or vampire as she had thought. It was too late to save him. She called me. Wesley and I showed up just after midnight. From here, the situation is handled by the Watcher's Council. Buffy will face no criminal charges. It was an accident. The Watcher's Council have people to clean this sort of thing up -- it is not the first time a Slayer has killed a human being."

"Why did you want us to know?" Cordelia asked Buffy. "I mean...it's not like we needed to. Couldn't the information we now have be used against us?"

"Once again," Anya said snidely. "It's all about you."

Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest. "I just mean....why did she want us to know?"

"We're....we're like family," Buffy said quietly. "What I know, you know. What happens to one of us...is important to the others. I didn't want to be....telling lies or hiding secrets."

"I'm so sorry, Buffy. It must have been awful," Willow said kindly.

"Yeah. Yeah. It was," Buffy replied.

"Is anyone else concerned about who Buffy killed? I mean....who was it? Were they important?" Anya asked. She glared at Xander for a moment before catching Willow's eyes. They nodded to each other.

"Deputy Mayor Allan Finch," Wesley said. "So I would say he was mildly important, yes."

"What's going to happen?" Faith asked. "How's it gonna get covered up? Is there gonna be an investigation?"

"The Watcher's Council Cleaners have already cleaned up the scene and the body," Wesley supplied. "The Watcher's Council will provide, anonymously, through a trumped-up life insurance policy, for the Deputy Mayor's family. He had two children and a wife."

"That's great and all....but....I mean, more like...what happens to a Slayer when....when someone human gets killed?" Faith asked. 

Buffy gave a quick, uncontrollable shudder. 

"There will be an inquest," Wesley replied. "The Council will take statements from Buffy, Giles and myself. They'll put together a file and decide on what to do about it, if anything." He shuffled his feet for a moment. "Giles has already been suspended without pay from the Council for an indefinite amount of time due to his actions during Buffy's eighteenth birthday trials. It is possible that he will be sacked, entirely, for this next transgression -- regardless of the fact that it was an accident."

"What's gonna happen to Buffy though?" Xander asked.

Faith nodded. Willow had shifted in her chair to face Buffy. Oz reached over to hold Willow's hand.

Giles cleared his throat. "In the past, almost nothing has happened to the Slayer in question. In this case, the same will probably be true," he said.

"But you can't know for sure," Anya added.

"No, that is correct. We cannot. We will await the next few days, perhaps a few weeks, to be certain of the outcome," Giles responded.

"In the meantime," Buffy said. "We have new intel on the Mayor and his plans."

"How'd we get that?" Xander asked.

"Mr. Finch had files on his person that explained what is coming," Giles explained.

Buffy flinched.

"Will you be okay, B?" Faith whispered.

"I'm not sure," Buffy replied honestly.

"There will be a psychologist coming sometime in the next few days," Wesley offered. "The Council always sends someone in the area of mind-healing in times such as these."

"Great. Just what I need. Some British guy digging around in my brain," Buffy said angrily.

"It might do you some good, Buffy," Willow said.

Buffy looked at Willow. Her expression was sad, but resigned. 

"In any case," Giles said. "We now know what the Mayor is planning. He plans to ascend. An Ascension refers to the transformation of a human being into that of a pure demon -- into an Old One. An Ascension is a matter of several smaller rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices. An Ascension causes mass panic, destruction and massacres. If we intend to stop it..."

"Wait, what?" Anya interrupted as she rose from her chair. "You can't stop an Ascension! No one ever has!"

"I realize it is highly unusual for any one person, or group of persons, to stop an Ascension, Anya, but we must, or die trying," Giles said gravely.

"No, you don't understand. Pure demon. I was a demon for eleven-hundred years, but not pure. They're....pure demons are just...different. You can't kill them. They aren't stoppable," Anya explained. Eyes wide, she began backing out of the room. "For a thousand years I wielded the powers of the wish. I brought ruin to the heads of unfaithful men. I brought forth destruction and chaos for the pleasure of the lower beings. I was feared and worshiped across the mortal globe...but nothing, nothing is as dangerous or deadly as a pure demon. Nothing." She wrung her hands as she stood near the library doors.

"Anya...you sort of sound like you know, from personal experience about this ascension deal," Xander said. "What's going on? Tell us about it."

Anya glared at him, but nodded. "All the demons that walk the Earth, are tainted, are human hybrids, like vampires. But pure demons...they're big. Huge. Strong. Very powerful. Nearly impossible to vanquish. I would use the term actually impossible, but I've only seen the one."

"You've seen a pure demon?" Willow asked.

"Not just that, but also...an ascension," Anya replied.

Willow nodded. "Okay....what happened?"

"About eight hundred years ago, in the Kaskov valleys above the Urals, there was a sorcerer there who achieved Ascension, became the embodiment of the demon Lohesh. I was there cursing a shepherd who'd been unfaithful. His wife had wished that all his sheep would lie wi..." Anya trailed off.

"Okay," Buffy said. "So you did some pretty gross things as a Vengeance Demon but.....what happened in Kaskov that made you so afraid?"

"I'm sorry, uh, Lohesh was a four-winged soul killer, am I right? I was given to understand that they're not that fierce. Of all the demons we've faced... " Wesley said.

"Not a pure demon. You've never seen a real demon," Anya said. Her voice trembled.

"Uh, hello...killing them professionally four years running!" Buffy quipped.

"Half-demons, yes," Anya replied. She sighed. "In any case, Lohesh was... it-it decimated the village within hours. Maybe three people got out. If you're....if you're going up against a pure demon, I'm out. I can't...I can't be here for that. I won't survive. You won't survive. Any of you."

"Anya, I think we have more than just two Slayers on our side. You know, different from what you've dealt with, from what you've seen. You know, we've got Willow! She's our mega-powerful witch goddess, you know?" Faith said.

Anya shook her head. "You'll all die," she said as she ran out of the library.

"Well, that was cheery," Spike said as he unfolded himself from his hiding place in the stacks. "You've got a real problem here, Rupes."

Giles rolled his eyes. "Really, Spike, unless you came here for the purpose of getting staked, now is not the time."

"I came to see what the old poofter was up to. He is my grand-sire, you know. Plus, I got a fondness for Red here. Don't I, Red?" Spike asked Willow.

Willow rolled her eyes. "He's virtually harmless right now. Angel enacted the grand-sire bond. Spike can't do anything to us without permission, for right now. It's how they agreed he could stay in town," she explained.

"That was a gorgeous bird who flew outta here," Spike went on. "She was probably right though, you all will probably end up dead, if not this time, then the next."

"Go away Spike, before I stake you," Buffy said hotly.

"Come to think of it, why haven't either of you staked him yet?" Xander asked.

"Harmless. As. A. Puppy," Spike drawled. "Wouldn't be sporting to off me, now would it?" Instead of staying to offer more quips, Spike ducked back into the stacks and could be heard whistling as he left through the back doors.

"Uh. This has been.....not fun," Cordelia said. "And while I'd love to stay and chat....I've got to get going." She looked at Xander. "Walk me?"

Xander nodded and stood up. As he walked Cordelia out of the library he called over his shoulder, "We can talk about this later."

"I thought Xander was dating Anya?" Willow asked.

"They broke up. He'd been cheating on her with Cordy," Buffy explained. "Anyways....back to the Mayor. I really think we can come up with a plan to beat him. We've got you, me, Faith and even Giles can do some amazingly dark things with the magicks. If we can't stop the ascension, surely we should be able to kill the demon -- pure or not."

"Oz and I will talk it over with Angel, see if he has any insight or ability to help us see our way clear," Willow said.

Buffy nodded.

"Since Xander, Cordelia and Anya have cleared out...there is one other matter to discuss, Willow," Giles said. He slid his glasses back on.

"Uh...okay," Willow said uncertainly. In tandem, Willow and Oz stood up and moved towards the library doors. 

"The need you guys have to run away from things when confronted with stuff you don't want to talk about is a little laughable," Buffy said unkindly.

"Just tell us whatever it is," Oz said.

"While I have never, and will never, approved of the union between yourself and Angelus, I cannot say that I find the....relationship between Angel and Oz to be at all better. I would even go so far as to say it is more dangerous, on various levels," Giles said.

"Do you think these interventions ever work out well for the group?" Faith asked as she moved to stand with Willow and Oz.

"No, I do not think they 'work out well,'" Giles said. "But they are necessary. We must know what is going on so that we may deal with the fallout when it comes for us."

"Fallout?" Oz growled. 

Willow placed a hand on Oz's arm. "Everything's fine," she said. "Nothing is problematic, nothing's going to have...fallout."

"I don't think this is any of anyone else's business, really. Who's getting it on with who or what kinds of things people do in the dark..." Faith offered.

"I quite agree," Wesley butted in. "And since we all know Angelus, or Angel, can no longer lose his soul, and all parties are of legal, consenting age, I do not see how this conversation is relevant or has merit."

Buffy blinked. She really hadn't thought of it that way. "I...that hadn't even occurred to me," she whispered.

"I'm sorry it upsets you," Willow commented. "We're gonna go now. We'll talk later about the Mayor and everything, okay?"

Willow and Oz left, with Faith following soon after.

Alone with Wesley and Giles, Buffy burst into tears.

***********************

TBC


	16. The Choices That We Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group make important choices for their futures.

The next three weeks went by in a blur of exams, paperwork, packing, moving, arranging and some construction; but sooner than Willow had thought, it was time to officially move into the manor with Oz and Angel. She changed her address, gave her house-keys to Anya, and helped Tara move in as well. 

Tara had declined the attic apartment, and instead had moved into the guest-suite once Faith had moved into Willow's suite. They'd given the Master-Suite to Anya, who had also declined the newly-renovated attic apartment. Each suite had been spruced up a bit -- new flooring, new paint, new bathroom fixtures and the like.

Willow had made it clear that the three women could rent out the attic space to someone, in order to pay for the utilities on the property and such, but Faith, Anya and Tara were happy to live together and pay an equal share of the bills without renting it out. They'd all agreed it would be a good space for the future, or for any guests.

With only four weeks left to her High School career, Willow wasn't sure how wise moving into the manor was, but she did want a home-base to come back to, in case they needed it. Since she'd submitted for graduation early, she was only attending school for a few hours a day to finish up her exams and hand in final projects. Willow no longer needed to attend classes, and was spending her time organizing for her future. She'd made her choice, submitted her paperwork, and now needed to talk about her decision with her family.

It turned out that Angelus had bought the manor out-right, and that he had a bit of money put away in a bank in London, which Angel didn't like to use because it was often money Angelus had stolen from families he'd killed. The benefit of owning the manor was that once Willow had moved in, Angel put the manor in Willow's name so that she could control which vampires to let in. She'd been surprised that she'd had to re-invite Angel into his own home, but they'd also extended an invitation to Spike. It was far safer this way, and Spike had agreed to follow Willow's rules in exchange for staying there, with them.

It was odd for Willow. She didn't know Spike very well, and her memories of him were filtered through the events of the previous year -- with Angelus and Buffy being caught up in all that drama. However, it turned out that Spike was a good cook, witty, funny, a little crude, and mostly just bluntly honest about pretty much everything. He didn't stay with them every day or every night, and when he wasn't there, Willow was starting to suspect that he was hanging out with Anya, Faith and Tara.

It fell to her, Willow decided, to get everyone together to update about the situation with the Mayor, and what everyone's plans were post-graduation. So, with her best, most-stern, resolve face in place, she sent email invitations, and one formal card-stock invitation to Giles, to everyone she considered necessary.

They gathered at the manor, in the large dining room that rarely saw use. Angel and Oz sat in chairs that were pushed into the corners, near the windows. The moon was partially full, so Willow understood Oz felt a keen and instinctual need to be as close to it as he could, and Angel supported him in that by sitting down opposite Oz.

Willow sat at one of the heads of the table, nearest to Angel and Oz. Faith sat to her right, Anya to her left. Spike sat next to Anya. Willow had wanted Tara to join them as well, but between classes, her job at the Magick Box and not feeling entirely comfortable with groups of people, Tara had opted out. Willow had already informed Tara of her plans, and Tara had been very supportive.

Giles sat at the other end of the table, the other head of it, nearest to the door. Buffy sat at his right, Xander at his left. Cordelia sat next to Xander. Wesley sat next to Buffy.

With the gang all gathered, Willow took a deep breath. 

"There is food, of varying types, on the side-board. Beverages as well. Angel, Spike...there are some blood-bags in the water-filled chafing dish." Willow shifted in her seat. "I thought we'd all better check in and update ourselves about the Mayor and about everything else. I thought this would be more comfortable than the library," she explained.

"I still don't understand what he's doing here," Buffy grumbled as she pointed at Spike.

Xander popped the top on a Dr. Pepper. "Really, Willow. Just because he helped Buffy during the Angelus nightmare, doesn't mean he's one of us. C'mon," he said.

Willow sighed. "Spike has agreed to help during whatever happens with the Mayor. Angel is keeping an eye on him, and with the Grand-Sire bond invoked, it just isn't possible for Spike to be all William-the-Bloody without Angel's express permission. Okay? I thought we covered this last time," she said.

"We did," Anya said. "It was made very clear, and plain, to those who were paying attention. And besides, I highly doubt Spike would kill you all, or anything, while we're having all the sex."

"You're what!?" Xander shouted.

"That's way too much information, Anya," Buffy replied.

"Anya and I are seeing each other. You lot are important to her, for some reason. For now, you're safe from me. And I wanna fight against the great ugly demon that's coming for all of Sunnyhell." Spike smirked, then got up to get a mug and a bag of blood. He looked at Willow. "No Weetabix?" he asked a little petulantly.

Willow smiled. "In the pantry off the kitchen," she explained.

He grinned a toothy grin and sautered out.

Angel got up swiftly, poured himself a mug of blood, and sat back down. "There are far more important things to discuss than Spike's usefulness," he said quietly.

Spike came back in with the box of Weetabix, fixed himself a mug and sat back down. "Now, what about this Mayor, eh?" he asked.

"I've told you all I know," Anya said softly. "I am leaving two days before graduation. I've cleared it with the administration office. Since I pulled up my grades in math and chemistry, they're letting me graduate without walking. I'm going to visit a few friends in Philadelphia. If you all survive, I'll be back. I don't think you will, but....well....I will greatly miss some of you. You've been....amazing to me. Some of you. Very accepting, and when....when I lost my powers...even more so."

"Thank you for that vote of confidence, Anya," Giles said dryly.

"You're welcome," Anya replied.

"Well," Giles said. "In any case. Buffy, Faith, Wesley and I have come up with a kind of plan, but...it'll require a lot of teamwork and effort. Over the past three weeks, we've learned a great deal from the Deputy Mayor's files. The ascension will happen on the day of the senior graduation, for example. There are many rites and rituals the mayor still may need to perform, and we've no idea, as of yet, what sort of demon he will embody."

"What's the plan, Giles?" Willow asked.

"It first involves Miss Lehane stepping over into the dark side," Wesley commented. "But, after that unhappy event, it should go quite smoothly, if it all works out."

Buffy snorted. "She'll be fine. She's good at pretending."

The comment hung in the air. 

Willow flinched. She'd known the breakup wouldn't go over well with Buffy, who tended towards childishness over those sorts of things, but she hadn't realized Buffy would behave so....bitterly. Willow squeezed Faith's shoulder briefly, in a show of support.

"I'm not that good at pretending, actually. But, yeah....I know I can do this. We need all the intel we can get, and....the Mayor...he's been real nice to me, when we've had the occasion to meet," Faith argued. "I think he'll believe it from me. No matter what you're going through, B, you've got a place here. A solid place. The same isn't true for me -- he isn't aware that I've got family." She gestured to Willow. "My going dark will seem....natural."

"Right," Buffy said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I could do this, Giles. Really. It'd be easy."

"And that is precisely what worries me, Buffy. It worries Professor Quinn as well, as you well know," Giles replied.

"How has that been going, Buffy?" Willow asked kindly.

"The therapy has been intense, but....I think it's helped. Made things make....more sense, you know?" Buffy offered.

"Well, you needed it," Cordelia said. "I mean, you killed someone. Ergo, things were probably a little off to begin with. Sounds of the good, to me." 

"The plan is very simple," Wesley interrupted. "Faith will ingratiate herself with the Mayor and report everything back to us, over the next three and a half weeks. Once we've discovered the facets of what the mayor plans, we will plan accordingly to defeat him or rather...it."

Cordelia rose from the table, brushed her hand down Xander's back and headed for the door. "I have things to do. Xan, just let me know about my role in the new plot and I'll be there, guns blazing or whatnot. Okay?"

Xander laughed. "Sure, Cor," he replied. "I'll come over later, yeah?"

"Yes," she replied. She spun back around the the group. "If we make it out alive...I'm headed to LA. I got into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts -- so that's where I'm going. I just....wanted you to know....I'll fight not to die, if it comes to that, and for Xander, but...I'll also help because I'd really like to get to go where I want, and to get out of Sunnydale." She smiled gently at Xander and then left. 

The group could hear her high-heels clicking on the marble floor all the way to the front door.

"I'm really proud of her," Willow said. "I'm glad we're mostly all...friendly. She's a good person, underneath it all."

"We won't really know the fighting plan until after Faith does her deal, right?" Oz asked quietly.

"That is correct. We will await whatever information Faith can find out for us before moving forward with a battle plan," Giles replied.

"Which, I guess, brings me to the other reason why I asked you all over," Willow said. "I wanted....I needed to know, you know, what kinds of plans you guys are making for your futures and I want...I needed to tell you what I decided for mine."

Giles smiled, quite largely, for a moment and then rose to make himself a cup of tea. "Does anyone want anything?" he asked.

As the group passed around plates of sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers, as well as sodas, water and cups of tea, everyone relaxed. The battle conversation was clearly over and now it was about an informal group gathering. Although there had been fighting recently, and things had still not settled between Buffy, Willow, Xander, Angel and Oz, it was clear that they all had, indeed, missed each other.

Spike spoke first. "Anya, luv, what're you up to after High School?" he asked as he wiggled an eyebrow at her. 

Anya grinned. "I've been accepted to a few colleges. Sunnydale University, for one. New York State, for another. A few other state schools, including Pennsylvania, Utah, Florida and Washington," she replied. "If everyone survives, and Sunnydale is left standing...I'll probably stay here. I've got a home here, and people I consider....family. I'm not ready to lose that so quickly."

"It might be very limiting for you, Anya," Giles replied. "To keep yourself locked here, when you could go almost anywhere. Surely, there's things in America you wish to see now that you are no longer a demon?"

Anya blinked. "I don't feel locked-in here. This is, for the moment, my home," she explained. She shook her head. "I'm going to go home. Willow, I'm sure you'll tell me your decisions later so we can talk, and plan, how it's going to work. Right?"

"Of course," Willow replied. 

"Why would you need to talk to Anya about how it's going to work?" Buffy asked. "What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on," Willow replied.

"I'm her accountant, for lack of a better term. It's what I'll be going to school for, and I'm already doing her books, so it'll be a discussion about what Willow can and cannot financially sustain. Which, honestly, is very little because it's almost as if her parents were made of money," Anya said.

Spike rose. "Well, we're heading out," he said as he grabbed Anya's arm. "Peaches, Wolfie, Red...leave a light on, will ya?"

Willow laughed a little. Oz rolled his eyes. Angel sighed.

"Certainly, William," Angel replied moodily.

Spike growled, but left with Anya when she tugged his arm.

"They make....an interesting couple," Giles said.

"I need to get home. I have some reports still to file, and some other things to attend to. Giles, Buffy? If you wanted to discuss the conditions with Professor Quinn, now would be the time," Wesley said.

"What conditions?" Willow asked.

"Oh, yeah. You wouldn't know," Xander said over a mouthful of food. He chewed, swallowed, then took a large sip of soda. "Buffy's got things coming up relating to...you know...the Deputy Mayor."

"It's fine, Xander," Buffy said. She looked at Willow, her eyes dark. "I'm going to England over the summer. Before I head off to college. These are the conditions of my not facing any other consequences. I have to spend the summer in England, at a....camp, or something, for, like...wayward Slayers, or something."

"It is not exactly a camp. It is a resort, run by the Watchers' Council. It is very quiet, very organized, and quite necessary after what occurred," Giles explained.

"Buffy will go through an intense therapy course, which will include some medicinal-magic, as well as some Slayer history and other workshops. It is often used when a Slayer accidentally kills a human," Wesley supplied.

"But, normally, only one Slayer lives at a time, so....how would this be even up-to-date?" Faith asked.

"While it is true that there is only one Chosen One at a time, in normal circumstances, there are also potential Slayers. With the aid of magicks, girls all around the world are determined as Potential Slayers and then given Watchers and trained in Slayer combat and lore. In some cases, a girl will accidentally kill a human. In these cases, they are removed from the situation and rehabilitated. It is not the same rehabilitation from ages past, but is similar in nature. It works in 90% of cases, and it is the method preferred by both the Council and Watchers, alike," Wesley replied.

"It is a very good programme," Giles said. "Joyce has been made aware of what happened, and the circumstances, and what Buffy will need to do now. She has agreed on this course of action, as has Buffy. Buffy will spend the summer in relative seclusion."

"Okay. That sounds....intense, B," Faith said.

"It does sound like a lot. Are you sure you'll be alright?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's a treatment program. I'm sure I'll come back all rosy and wonderful," Buffy said with a slight grin.

"Do take it seriously," Wesley reprimanded.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Giles, Wesley...we've really got to get going if we're gonna make the meeting with Professor Quinn," she said as she rose from the table.

"Ah, do you gotta go now?" Xander asked.

"I'm afraid we must," Giles responded. He rose from the table as well. "Willow, was there something specific you wanted to tell us?"

"Er..." Willow smiled a little awkwardly and inwardly, gave up. "No. Not really. Just wanted to find out what Buffy and Xander were doing after graduation, if we, you know, all survive and stuff."

"Well, England until August 15th. The semester starts on August 31st at James Garfield University in Cleveland. I got in there, and here at Sunnydale as well," Buffy said. "I also got into Iowa State University and University of Massachusetts Boston....but, I chose James Garfield University. It's a mid-sized college, in what used to be a residential neighborhood, but...I got a Scholarship to go there, and...it's got some wonderful programs and....Cleveland's a Hellmouth too, so I'd also be doing my job."

"Wow, you're getting to move away for school!" Willow said excitedly.

"Yeah. Mom's pretty excited. Mom, Giles and I just figured...with Faith here, and everything, it'd be okay for me to go away," Buffy replied.

Willow's eyes widened. Had Buffy even discussed this with Faith?

Faith rubbed a hand down Willow's arm. Out of the side of her mouth she said, "It's cool. We talked about it."

"Okay, we've really got to get going. Xander, make sure you tell Willow about your plans, cuz they're exciting too!" Buffy said as she, Giles and Wesley left.

Leaving Xander, Faith, Willow, Oz and Angel in the same room left a few moments of dead silence before Xander spoke.

"I, uh, got accepted to Sunnydale -- University of Sunnydale. I know I haven't been great at school, but....with my part-time gig at Gregg Family Developers...I want to get my contracting license, maybe dabble a little in architecture," Xander explained. "And uh....I'm heading out, for the summer. Gonna take my van, do a little sight-seeing across the country, before coming back."

"Will you be able to afford that and keep up the rent on Anya's old apartment?" Willow asked cautiously.

"Yeah. Um," Xander turned bright red. "Your parents....left me a college fund, for some reason. But...I qualified for financial aid, because my dad doesn't make enough money, so they couldn't deny me. So...I'll use some of the college fund to pay June, July and August's rent, and be back before September 1st, when the semester starts."

"I was really happy when I realized they'd left you that fund. I thought....I was worried you wouldn't go to college." Willow replied.

"Yeah. No. I just had to find something I thought I could be good at, then it all...kinda fell into place, with....I'm so sorry, Wil, but...with their dying...they left me enough money for school, but not so much that it precluded financial aid for college. So I'll spend some of it on rent and food and travel, and save the rest...for when I need it. I'm only going to two years at Sunnydale -- my associates degree. Then I'll decide what I want to do from there," Xander explained. He finished the rest of his soda and stood. "I....have to run."

He left quickly.

Afterwards, Angel and Faith helped Willow store leftover food and clean up. 

Willow walked Faith to the door, and held on for a few extra moments as they hugged goodbye. "Take care of you, and be careful, please," Willow whispered.

"I'll be five by five, promise," Faith said. "What were you going to tell us that you didn't say?"

Willow laughed. "Figured that out, did you?"

"Well, yeah. It was obvious. I can just ask Tara, when I get home, you know," Faith said gently.

"I wanted to tell everyone at once, but I think....I'll discuss it with Oz and Angel first," Willow said.

"Okay," Faith rubbed her hands down Willow's arms. "You got into a lot of colleges, Willow. You can go anywhere. Do anything. We'll all....well, most of us, anyway....will understand."

Willow smiled and opened the front door. "I know. You can go ahead and ask Tara to tell you, say I said it was okay, and you know, explain about what happened tonight. She's very strong, magically. We might need her help too."

Faith nodded and slipped out into the night. 

Willow locked the door behind her and turned. Angel and Oz stood in the doorway to the living room.

"It surprised us when you moved into the manor with us, Willow. We thought, certainly, you'd want to move us in with you -- in the home where you'd grown up. We hadn't realized this had become your home," Angel said carefully.

"I know, Angel. I could see it. Neither of you hides surprise as well as you think," she replied.

Oz chuckled a little and held out a hand. 

Willow crossed the foyer to take his hand. He pulled her with them into the living room.

"Tell us what you're thinking," Oz said simply.

"I accepted the offer to enroll at Oxford. Both sides -- magical and mortal. Term starts August 31st," Willow said.

Angel took a deep, but unnecessary, breath. "Well, it's good that your parents kept a small home there, then, isn't it?"

At Willow's laugh, Oz pulled her down onto the couch on top of him. He nuzzled her neck as Angel sat down beside them.

"How are you going to get to England?" Oz asked Angel.

"By a long, unfortunate boat ride, I imagine," Angel replied.

************************

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James Garfield University is the name for a college in Cleveland that I'm making up. It'll be in Middleburg Heights. We'll say that...."what once used to be a residential area, is now a mid-sized college."


	17. Delicate Balance of Going Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faith takes the steps towards becoming part of the Mayor's crew.
> 
> Buffy and Angel talk & repair some damage.
> 
>  
> 
> Spoilers for tiny dialogue bits from episodes 3x7, 3x14, 3x15.

"Listen, you're confused, B. Let me clear it up for you. Me? Slayer. Them? Vampires. And so....dead vampires. That's the way it works," Faith said cattily as Buffy and Faith patrolled the docks.

"You can't just live large on any vamps around while I'm twisting in the wind, Faith. I mean, I was getting my ass handed to me and you were...what? Quipping while you beat some vamp bloody? There were two of them on me, and I could have died!" Buffy argued.

"Well, gee, B...I really thought you could handle yourself. I mean, what with the ex-honey and all...I kinda thought you had some special way with vamps that meant you could hold your own. Guess I was wrong," Faith replied.

"Leave Angel out of this. This is about you. You're...you're going about this all wrong. I know we're not....anymore, and if it's me that's causing you to be this reckless....I apologize. But I didn't end things, you did," Buffy said angrily.

"This isn't about that. How could it be? I mean less than nothing to you, and you know it," Faith replied.

"That's not true! Okay, so we were never destined for big-time love and all of that," Buffy said loudly and then look around, embarrassed, for a moment. "But," she continued, dropping her voice to a near whisper. "I can't....I'm still...raw. Still....wounded. And you knew that, going in!"

Faith huffed and rolled her eyes. "I get it, B. You were all broken up about Angel, and you still are. And, again, my behavior isn't about us, or the lack thereof. I broke it off, and it was best all around," she explained.

"Then what the hell is wrong with you lately? You're wailing on vamps instead of staking them, patrolling alone and during the day, dancing your ass off all night at the bronze. I mean, good god, Faith, I think you're even drinking!" Buffy complained.

Faith laughed humorously for a moment before responding. "I'm not drinking, B. I think you'd be able to really, really tell if I was. And the rest...well...it's my business. I've got no one to answer to, no family."

"Right. That's your go-to line, no responsibilities and no one to answer to." Buffy rolled her eyes and kept walking.

Out of the darkness, two tall and large vampires ran towards them.

Faith pivoted and knocked one down with a swift kick to its legs. It went down hard, smacking its head on the concrete below.

Buffy cried out as she stabbed forward with a small stake to the heart of the one she was fighting. As she sucked in vamp-dust she cried, "Yeeeeuck!" and then ran towards Faith to help her with the other one.

As they dispatched the second vampire, Buffy whirled towards Faith and shouted, "Where the heck did they come from?"

Faith shrugged. "No idea, but....I'm..."

"I know, I know...you're five by five," Buffy replied as she rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms and glared at Faith. "This conversation isn't over. You've got a problem and you need help!" She began to sputter and cough.

"Like you're the one to help me even if I did have an issue," Faith replied sternly. She nodded at Buffy. "You might wanna get that checked, B...you're coughing pretty hard. Listen....I'm out. I'll catch you around the water-cooler...or, ya know, the cemetery...later."

As Faith strode away, Buffy stared after her. She hoped what they'd started, their argument, would help towards convincing the vampire that had been following them all night.

***

"Come in!" The words were called from inside.

"I thought...that Oz would be here, or Willow. It's, you know, a Saturday," Buffy said softly as she entered the room. She shut the door quickly behind her.

Angel nodded and led the way back into the living room. He lowered himself into one of the chairs and gestured to the one across from it. "They're out. They needed some time...couple time, together," he explained.

"That bothers you?" Buffy asked. She frowned at him for a moment, but her face cleared when he shook his head.

"No, of course not. They are a couple, they love each other very much," Angel replied. He crossed his legs. "What can I do for you, Buffy?"

Buffy tucked her short, dark locks behind her ears and cleared her throat. "I wanted your take on...because we did used to talk, throughout us being a couple and...I needed a more...adult, I guess, perspective, on the whole Faith-playing-bad angle. It makes me uncomfortable, and I can't help but think it's going to do more harm than good and....and I'm rambling. I apologize," she explained.

He nodded and smiled gently. "I think it stands to reason that Giles and Wesley wouldn't let her...go over to the dark side, if they felt she couldn't come back from it, or if they felt it would be more than an acting job for her," he said. 

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I'm just..." she trailed off.

"You care for her. It's perfectly alright to be worried for her when she means so much to you, Buffy," Angel replied quietly.

Buffy blushed. "She...we've gotten close. She's a good friend. I don't want anything to push her too hard no matter what...."

"Your breakup notwithstanding, I think it's a good thing that you're worried about her. It means that underneath it all you are loyal to each other and have each others backs," Angel replied neutrally.

"Is that a...dig at my lack of relationship with Willow?" Buffy asked. Her voice pitched towards shrill as she stood. "I mean, are you saying I should have stood by her even though she...and you...and you and...she...!?"

"Calm down, Buffy. I didn't say that. I meant that it is a good sign between you and Faith -- that your friendship will survive and outlast the two of you no longer being...romantic or intimate," Angel responded. His voice was laced with exasperation.

"Okay, cuz...it's not really your place to be all with the judgemental about Willow and me. With everything that happened between us, and everything we still haven't really....you know?" Buffy replied as she sat back down.

Angel raised an eyebrow. "I do think, actually, that you sought me out for my...take. My advice. And so, if I wished to bring up the subject of Willow, considering she and Oz and I live together, it would be well within my rights, Buffy," he said a bit huffily.

"No, not after...everything," Buffy responded.

"You sent me to hell. I don't think we both get to be self-righteous and angry about how our relationship ended when it was you who sent me, with my soul, to hell," he replied. Angel's eyes narrowed and he stood. 

"I had to," Buffy said. Her eyes filled. "Acathla was already open. I had no way of knowing an equal amount of blood would have worked. Why can't anyone but Xander and Giles understand that? I mean, not even Faith is on my side about what went down, and she wasn't even here!"

Angel crossed his arms. "I don't know Buffy. Maybe...just maybe, that's a very good question. I wish...I wish things were not as tense as they are. I cannot help how I feel, and I am sorry I have hurt you. Can you say the same?" he asked calmly.

Buffy jumped to her feet. "Of course!" she cried. "I'm so sorry, Angel! To have hurt you, to have sent you there, to have made you look at me with such...distaste and displeasure! I've been nothing but sorry for months! And still, you guys, Willow, you and Oz, can't forgive me! Still, I'm...alone and my best friend and I are estranged!"

"Some of that was your choice, Buffy. I cannot control what Willow or Oz will or will not forgive. We're pack. I can...I can say that I'm glad we've had this talk. Cleared the air a little. I'm glad you came over today. Maybe you should try it with Willow?" Angel said.

Buffy blinked. "I'm not sure. We're all going in such different directions, you know?"

"That doesn't mean you can't repair some of what has been damaged," he replied. Suddenly, he looked up. "They're home. I suggest you leave before they make it inside. Still parking the car." He tapped a finger to his ear at her blank expression.

"Oh right." She grinned at him for a moment and then made her way to the front door. "Angel?" Buffy asked before she turned the knob.

"Yes, Buffy?" he replied.

"Can I come back again...you know, before graduation? To talk?" Buffy asked a little breathlessly.

Angel's eyebrows went up and he gave a wan smile. "Of course, Buffy," he answered.

He settled back down in the chair and grabbed his book as the door clicked shut behind her.

*****

"All I'm saying is...slaying is what we were built for. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing something wrong," Faith argued.

She and Buffy were out for yet another patrol and Buffy had, once again, decided that Faith needed a pep talk or a come-to-Jesus talk or both. Faith rolled her eyes. Although she was enjoying the role she was currently playing, and trying to get into the Mayor's good graces with it, Buffy's constant prattling and holier-than-thou bullshit was starting to annoy her. 

"No, I don't think it's fun, Faith. It's a job. A calling, at times. But...it's also a pain and it, honestly, wrecks lives. My mom hasn't been the same since she found out the truth and I've lost more friends than I care to..." Buffy trailed off as she spotted six vampires up ahead, heading into a crypt. "Saved by the massacre," she muttered.

Faith ran forward. "It's six against two," she said as she rushed past Buffy. "So come on and let's party!"

"No! Stop. Wait. Think!" Buffy cried as she grabbed Faith's arm.

"No, no, no!" Faith yelled.

"You're just gonna go in there, that's your plan?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"Who said I had a plan? I don't know how many are in there, but I wanna find out. And I'll know when I get through the door. If you don't come in after me, I might seriously die. But, that's the game, Buff! It's all about living and dying and having a good time while you're trying to keep surviving," Faith explained as she pulled Buffy towards the crypt.

***

"It was intense, and kind of cool. But...I'm worried. I think she's giving in a little....to the...darker side of things, the bad, McBaddie kind of slaying. I don't think it's just an act and I thought...if anyone could understand and reach out to her about it....it'd be the three of you," Buffy said as she paced the living room of the Mansion.

"You staked them all, though, right?" Oz asked quietly.

"Yeah, Oz. We did. It was....wild. But, I'm worried. She's like she was when we first met...instead of how she was only a week or two ago. Back to her old motto -- want, take, have and Slayers are the law. That sort of thing. I'm worried," Buffy explained.

"Has she given you any reason to think that it isn't a very good acting job?" Angel asked.

"Well...it's just that she seems....so into it, you know? Like...she's living for the slaying, and like she hasn't a care in the world and doesn't answer to anyone, things like that. All the time, even when she drops by the library. Like, I thought she'd let the facade drop when she knows no one's there, but....nope," Buffy said.

"I've seen her a few times. We've hung out at the house. She seems the same to me, Buff," Willow commented. "Herself. Not....not dark. And I think...I think I'd be able to tell if we were losing her."

"She seems cool," Oz supplied. "Not...churned up or anything bad."

"Is it possible," Angel asked. "That you're seeing things where they aren't because you miss her, or because of the breakup? Or for some other reason? This gives you something else to worry about besides what the Mayor may be doing."

"That's a good point." Buffy rose from the couch. "Thanks for...seeing me, talking to me. It means a lot. And it's nice...knowing you guys are watching out for Faith."

"There's no true evil here, Buffy," Angel said reassuringly. "It's a part she's playing for now. She may not have started out that way, after everything with her watcher and her...background, but she genuinely wants to do right. And so, she will. This is just a different path for a little while. She might make some mistakes, fall down even. But she'll keep trying, because she cares. She has people who care about her and trust her - she trusts us. If something goes actually wrong with this plot, Buffy....she's family. We'll save her."

"We will. She's part of us. She belongs with us, the whole gang. If something goes sideways, we'll band together, like we always do, and we'll fix it," Willow added.

Buffy nodded, then left.  
***

Faith kicked open the door to the Mayor's office.

Mayor Wilkins blinked at her briefly and then finished putting on his jacket. "Did we have an appointment?" he asked kindly.

Faith snorted. "I'm pretty sure you sent your boys to kill me and Buffy," she replied.

"That's right, I did," Mayor Wilkins responded. He leaned back on the edge of his desk and quirked an eyebrow in Faith's direction.

"They are dust," Faith stated.

"I thought they might be. What with you standing here and all," he said casually.

"I guess that means you have a job opening," Faith said as she strolled into the room and plopped down into one of his armchairs.

Mayor Wilkins smiled and gave a little laugh. He turned slightly and pressed the intercom button on his phone. "Sandi, dear, please tell maintenance that I am in need of an office door replacement." 

At Sandi's 'Yes sir,' he responded. "Thank you." He turned back towards Faith and smiled.

"My dear," he said not unkindly. "Please tell me how you think this arrangement might work. I'm fairly certain you're...a bit of a White-hat still."

Faith grinned and then the grin turned sour and sly. "I think it'll work out just fine," she replied. "You'll let me keep my so called friends, I'll do your wet works, and we'll get along just fine."

*****************

TBC


	18. Understandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang goes to the prom.  
> Faith gets closer to the mayor.  
> Time to do some fixing for the gang's sake.
> 
> Spoilers for dialogue from Enemies (3x17) and The Prom (3x20) and Choices (3x19).
> 
> Tiny touch of Willow/Tara and Faith/Tara. Bit of Angel/Buffy.  
> Spike/Anya. Xander/Cordy. 
> 
> Prom dresses have been changed up.

In the living room of the Rosenberg Home, Willow sat on the floor, with her back pressed to one of the couches.

When Anya had moved in, her furniture had come with her too, so now, a cheerily striped couch sat parallel to the couch Willow had grown up with. In between the couches was a deep, dark-red armchair. Anya sat in it, with a bowl of popcorn on her lap and tall glass of flavored-fizzy water at her elbow on an end-table.

The coffee-table was covered in a tablecloth and strewn with plates of finger-foods. Bottles of flavored sparkling water sat in a cooler filled with ice.

Tara sat behind Willow, and was idly braiding parts of Willow's long, red hair.

On the opposite couch, Faith sprawled on her back, taking up the entire space. Her hands rested on her stomach, her hair splayed over the couch cushion.

"You should wear your hair like that, to the prom," Anya commented. "It looks really interesting, chunks of thin braids among the long hair and the wild curls. Very pretty."

Willow smiled. "Yeah, maybe," she responded. She turned her head slightly, slowly. "Did you decide who you're going to take, Faith?"

Faith laughed. "It's not my prom. I don't go there. Pretty sure I'll be having a James Spader party, while you all are doing the dancing to bad music and the eating boring food."

"Actually, Faith...as long as a Sunnydale High student buys the tickets for you, you're allowed to go...and to bring a date," Willow explained.

Faith's eyes widened. She sat up, shook her hair back and grinned lasciviously for a moment at Tara. "So, how about it, Blondie? You wanna go to prom with me?" she asked.

Tara made a slight squeaking noise. "Me?" she asked in a near whisper.

"Yeah, you. You're the only one of the whole gang not going, so far, and...besides...it's time you hung out with us all. This could be a prime opportunity, Tara," Faith explained.

"Y-yeah, I guess," Tara replied.

"Great! That settles things nicely. Everyone's going, and everyone's got a date!" Anya said excitedly. "Now, are we going to watch movies or what?"

"What about Buffy, who's she going with?" Faith asked gently.

Willow grinned. "I'm pretty pleased with that, myself, actually. You see...prom is so close to graduation, that we want the whole gang to be there just in case so....I asked Angel if he'd, very kindly, take Buffy to prom. Oz is taking me. Xander's going with Cordelia...and I assume that Anya's taking Spike, right?" she said.

"Yes. He's getting me a corsage, and we're getting a hotel room after, for, you know, romantic sexual encounters," Anya explained.

Willow laughed. "Yeah, I think we all understand that's what you and Spike spend most of your time doing," she said.

"And there's nothing wrong with that!" Faith exclaimed.

Tara turned red.

Anya preened for a moment, then got back to the topic at hand. "Won't it be a bit upsetting and confusing for Buffy to have Angel take her to the prom?"

"She and Angel talked about it. Buffy doesn't want to go alone, and Angel needs to be there. I think...I'm not sure...but I think he may still have feelings for her, honestly. He needs to work that out. This may be a good way. We can't move away to gloomy, but wonderful, England if he's still tangled up about Buffy. And I know she still loves him," Willow explained.

"Isn't that going to be...difficult...for Oz?" Tara asked softly.

Willow nodded. "It's hard for him. Angel is pack, and Oz can't forgive what Buffy did to Angel -- even when it's not like Buffy could have known the right thing to do. I mean, as much as I hated it, and as much pain as it was for both me and Angel....Buffy did what she thought was right. It wasn't right, but with what little knowledge she had...well...it was her Slayer-instinctual response as much as the information she had. So....I can't really forgive her unless Angel does, but...I'm not going to hold a grudge. We're all moving on, you know? Cordy's going to L.A., Buffy's going to Cleveland, I'm ending up in England....it's time to put the past behind us," she said.

"I didn't just mean because Angel is pack," Tara elaborated.

"I think what Blondie means is that...Oz has deep affection for Angel. You know what I mean, Wil. So...is Oz going to be alright if Angel is still interested in Buffy?" Faith asked.

Anya rolled her eyes and hissed through her teeth. "Jeeze," she said. "If you guys could just speak more plainly, Willow might know how to answer that. What they're saying, and badly I might add, is that Oz is in love with Angel whether he realizes it or not, and since they're sex-buddies, Angel not being over Buffy might cause all kinds of hurt feelings and well....trouble."

Faith snickered.

A grin spread over Tara's face as she let go of Willow's hair and leaned back against the couch.

"Uh. Huh," Willow said uncomfortably. "Oz isn't aware he's in love with Angel, so I'm not sure if he's aware of how he's been acting now that Buffy and Angel are hanging out again, as friends that is. I don't think it's going to cause trouble, exactly...but I also know that...as pack, it'll be okay. It'll work out."

Faith clapped her hands and jumped up off the couch. "Okay, well..ladies. I've got to get going. I've got a meeting with Mayor Wilkins and I can't be late." She pulled her hair up and out of her face, into a long tail.

As Faith left, Tara and Anya rose to pick out movies and Willow took over the couch where Faith had been.

***

"Pssst. Other-Slayer!" Spike called as he watched Faith cross over to her car in the driveway.

"Spike? What is it?" she asked.

"Got something for ya, but I didn't want to break up the bird bonding session," Spike whispered loudly.

Faith laughed and crossed over to him.

He handed her a heavy rucksack. "Books of Ascension, volumes one through five...came by them the good ole fashioned way...demon tried to kill me, he got the pointy end of the sword, these were in his bag," Spike explained. "Not sure what he was doing with them, don't much care. Thought you white hats could use 'em."

Faith looked back at the house. "Take them inside, you idiot," she muttered. "I'm on my way to the Mayor, if he finds out you brought them to me first, I'll be in hot water."

Spike growled slightly, but nodded, took the rucksack back and headed to the front door.

Faith got in her car and drove away. She really hoped those books helped, but she pretty much hated lying to the Mayor. Bad guy or not, he'd been really decent to her.

***

"Alright, so....this demon has the Books of Ascension, or will be getting them soon, but he is, in fact, willing to sell them?" Mayor Wilkins asked.

Faith sat up a little straighter in the armchair. "Yep. Listen, it's just a matter of time before this demon guy is gonna sell the books, or tell where they are, or where he got them, and then Buffy and her super-friends are gonna be all over it. What do you want me to do?"

"You know, you worry too much for a girl for your age. That's unnecessary stress. Luckily, I've got just the thing," he replied. He stooped low and open the mini-refrigerator under his desk. He took out a short carton of milk, and then walked over to the bar on the other side of the office and grabbed a low-ball glass. He poured Faith a glass of milk and handed it to her. "There you go. Now, first you load up on calcium. Then find this demon, kill the heck out of him, and bring the books to me. Problem solved."

Faith laughed a little and gulped down the milk. She wiped her mouth with the napkin he provided and then nodded. "And if Buffy gets to the demon, or the books, first?"

"Oh, well. Frankly I don't like to think about that. I like good, positive, up thoughts. If you fail me in that way. Well, you know, replacing my various minions was a chore enough," Mayor Wilkins replied. He rubbed his hands together. 

"Alright..." Faith said. She frowned. "What about Angel? I mean....there's some plan brewing there, right? That you want me in on?"

"Ah, yes. We want to take Angel's soul away. And since we can't do it by giving him happiness, well, by golly, we'll just have to do it in the most painful way imaginable. Your friend Willow might be powerful, magically...but I know more powerful people -- dark, powerful people. So, we'll find a way to get rid of his pesky soul so we'll have one more player on our side. Simple enough, isn't it?" he replied.

"Yeah. Sounds great. I just...I don't....you know how I feel about messing with Willow. She was the only one, out of all of them, that showed me anything at all..." Faith trailed off.

"Well, you win some, you lose some. From where I'm sitting, it's batting average that counts. So you'll lose a friend or two, You don't see me  
looking disappointed. Heck, no. You know why? Because I know you'll always have me, Faith. I'm the best, the most important friend you'll ever have. Besides, you know, once the Ascension starts, whoever you're so concerned about? Whoo! They'll be lucky if there's enough left of them to fill a pothole. Promise," the Mayor commented.

Faith chuckled. "Thanks, boss," she said.

"Now, what about this prom I keep hearing about? Are you taking anyone special?" Mayor Wilkins asked as he sat back down in his chair.

Faith laughed. "Not...special, but...someone I sort of dig, yeah. Her name's Tara. She goes to UC Sunnydale," Faith replied.

"She lives with you, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Well, Willow bought me tickets, and it didn't seem like it'd be...like good ol' me to go turning her down, so I asked Blondie..." Faith said.

"Why can't you go with a nice boy? I've got connections. I could find you someone good for you, someone suitable?" Mayor Wilkins asked.

"Ugh. No thanks. I'm in a sort of....women-only mood at the moment. But, I'll let you know, the second I'm in the market for a suitable guy," she replied.

"It's all going to be alright. Come on, don't worry. You're my favorite girl. Go patrolling. Find out what you can, report back," he said.

***

Faith pinned her hair back and smoothed her hands over her black dress. She adjusted her earrings and applied a thin coat of red lipstick over the chapstick she already wore.

She slipped her feet into two-inch heels and did a turn in the full-length mirror.

"Looking good," she commented to herself.

It was prom night, and she was happy to be going. It'd be interesting to, for one night, be part of the High School crowd in a way she never had been.

She picked up her bag and left her room. As she waited in the living room, she thought about the books in the trunk of her car. She'd xeroxed the most important chapters and left them on the coffee table for the gang, but, after prom, she had to get the books to the Mayor. She owed him those books...even if it did make her feel like scum.

She turned at the sound of footsteps on the stairs and grinned.

Tara's hair had gone back to its natural blonde, and she wore it down, but brushed over to one side of her head and held in place by silver barrettes. Her dress was colored by different, matching shades of pale blue. It was strapless, corset-cinched at the waist and then flowed down, almost to the floor. She wore a simple silver bracelet on one wrist and flat, silver slip-on shoes.

"You look gorgeous," Faith commented as she took her hand.

Tara blushed and took a long look at Faith's long, a-line, deep-necked, black dress with a slit up the side to mid-thigh. "You...you look stunning," she said softly.

***

Buffy smoothed her hair down. It had grown out over the last few months, so that it brushed her shoulders now. She'd lightened it to a lovely, dense brown, in preparation for going back to blonde at a later date. She tucked some strands behind her ears and stepped back from the mirror.

She let out a long breath. He'd be here any second. She blinked away happy tears. Angel was taking her to the prom!

Buffy left her room and was just coming down the stairs when she heard her mom invite Angel inside. She smiled.

Angel looked up and blew out an unnecessary breath. "You look beautiful," he commented.

Buffy laughed. "Oh, this old thing?" she quipped. Her dress was one long, strapless, column of pale pink. Her heels were the same exact color, and she wore diamond earrings.

He smiled at her gently and held out his arm. "We're nearly late, shall we go?" he asked.

She grinned.

***

Pretty, twinkling lights hung around the room. A dj played the top forty hits while people gathered in groups or danced. The buffet table was laid out with various finger-foods and gallons of too-pink punch in large, crystal bowls.

"We're at prom," Willow commented.

"Yep. All the men in tuxedos and...most of the women in gorgeous dresses," Oz replied as he tugged on the lapel of his tux-jacket.

"Everyone looks wonderful," she responded. She turned towards the door just as Anya and Spike entered. She grinned and walked over to meet them.

"Willow, you look lovely!" Anya said. 

Willow looked down at herself. She wore a long, sleeveless, lace gown in a shade just darker than maroon. It had a fan-shaped cut out on the front of the sleek fitting bodice, a scattering of tonal sequins throughout the delicate lace, and a slim fitting floor length skirt. She wore a diamond and ruby bracelet that had been her mother's and dark-red high heels. "Thank you, Anya," she replied. "You both look amazing too!"

Spike smiled. He wore a victorian-cut tuxedo with tails and vest and a pocket-watch. Anya wore a flowing, baby-doll style, deep-purple dress with one sleeve over her left arm, it also had a high neckline and detailed sequence up the bodice. She had a long coil of silver wrapped around her right bicep and wore long, tear-drop earrings. 

"Yes, I do look amazing, thank you," Anya replied.

Willow laughed. "Come and join us at our table, Faith and Tara are already there. We're just waiting for Cordy, Xander, Buffy and Angel."

***

Xander, in a classic tux, arrived just moments later with Cordelia on his arm.

She wore a form-fitting, dusky gold prom dress, with cap sleeves. It shimmered when she moved. She had accented it with gold earrings, and gold, ice-pick heels.

"Wow, Cordy...you look....wow, is all I gotta say," Faith commented when Cordelia and Xander made it over to their table.

Xander grinned and then nodded at everyone in turn. "Doesn't she just? She's the most beautiful woman here...though you all look...stunning too!"

"Nice save, Xander," Willow said gently.

He laughed. "So...this is the prom!" he exclaimed.

"Yep. Did Angel mention he and Buffy'd be late?" Faith asked Willow.

Willow shrugged. "Not as far as I'm aware."

"They've just entered, no need to feel at all alarmed. I mean, seriously, there's no real trouble that could have happened between her house and here," Cordelia commented as she pointed at the door.

Willow smiled.

Oz glowered for a moment, then shook it off. "They look lovely," he muttered.

"All's well that ends well," said Xander.

***

The group danced the night away, and as it ended everyone, including Giles and Wesley who had acted as Chaperones, gathered around the stage. The awards for various categories had been given out, and the class valedictorian was giving a speech that would be a lead-in to her speech at graduation.

Buffy and Angel were chatting quietly under the noise in the room, Oz and Willow were slow-dancing to the music that was playing low in the background. Cordelia was hanging on to Xander's arm after too many cups of spiked punch. Anya and Spike were no where to be seen - they'd left about an hour earlier. Tara, dead-tired, was cuddled into Faith's side, who had an arm around her in support. 

The valedictorian moved off the stage and Jonathan took over.

"We have one more award to give out tonight," he said. "This is actually a new category. First time ever. I guess there were a lot of write-in ballots, and, um, the prom committee asked me to read this. Buffy Summers - we're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you, but that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret that Sunnydale High isn't really like other high schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here. But, whenever there was a problem or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or saved by one of the people we've all kind of called the Library Gang. We have all been helped by you at one time or another, even the teachers. We're proud to say that our class has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history." Jonathan paused as people clapped. "And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class, offers its thanks, and gives you, uh, this," he finished.

A teacher stepped forward and handed Jonathan a multicolored, glittering, miniature umbrella with a small metal plaque attached to the shaft. 

Jonathan smiled and looked out into the crowd. "So...it's from all of us, and it has written here, 'Buffy Summers, Class Protector,'" he explained.

As Buffy accepted her award, the entire class began to applaud.

***

Later, after the evening was over and everyone, including the entire gang, had gone home, Buffy sat in the library with Giles. She'd changed out of her dress, which hung in a dress-bag over one of the chairs, and into a pair of leggings and a long t-shirt.

"I got a little toy surprise," she said quietly.

"I had no idea that children en masse could be gracious," Giles replied.

"Every now and then, people surprise you," Buffy responded. "He took me to prom, Giles."

"I realize that, Buffy," Giles said kindly. "Please don't go reading into it. He's moved on. He's in a relationship with Oz, and whatever they may be, or however they may feel...it is something that we need to all begin to deal with on a mature level. You're all eighteen now, college is right around the corner...don't...please don't make the mistake of...thinking his heart is still open to you. I do not want to see you hurt."

Buffy smiled gently. "I know, Giles. I just meant....with everything...he took me to prom. And it was wonderful." She picked up her umbrella plaque and did a quick pirouette. 

"I'll take you home," Giles replied.

****

Faith sat back in the chair and closed her eyes. She'd changed out of her prom dress into jeans and a sweater, but she still wore her makeup, jewelry and heels. "Books of Ascension delivered as promised. After prom," Faith said as she yawned.

"Excellent. And, my Faith, I've got a present for you!" Mayor Wilkins replied.

Faith blinked and opened her eyes wide. "A present? What's the occasion?"

"Faith! As if I need a reason to show you my affection. Or appreciation for running a small errand at the airport," he responded as he handed her a slim, well-wrapped, box.

"Airport? What's next? Gonna want me to help a buddy of yours move a sofa?" she growled.

"This isn't a free ride, young lady. You know, I'm beginning to think that somebody's getting a little spoiled. Maybe I should take this back," he said moodily.

"No, no..I'm sorry, sir. I'm just...you know..exhausted," she replied as she clutched the present.

"That's alright, my girl," the Mayor said. "Another cookie? Now. A package is arriving tomorrow night from Central America. Something, and I can't stress this enough, something crucially important to my Ascension. Without it ... Well! What would Toll House cookies be without the chocolate chips? A pretty darn big disappointment, I can tell you." He paused to tap his fingers together. "Now, open your present."

Faith grinned and opened up the little box. She took the handle of the blade into her hand and stared at it. It gleamed. It shimmered.

"There," he said. "That look on your face is my reward."

"This is a thing of beauty, boss," Faith said reverently. 

"Well, it cost a pretty penny. So, you just take good care of it. And you be careful not to put somebody's eye out with that thing, until I tell you to!" he commented.

Knowing her line, Faith rolled her shoulders. "Any particular eyes in mind?" she asked.

***********

 

TBC


	19. A Good Day of Fighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spike intercepts the Box of Gavrok.  
> The gang comes up with their plan.
> 
> Spoilers for Choices (3x19), Graduation Day (3x21 & 3x22).  
> Very slight spoiler for 5x18 Intervention.  
> Actual graduation not shown. It pretty much follows canon, with the addition of Spike and Tara fighting alongside the Scooby gang.
> 
> Spike/Angel a bit.
> 
> Heads Up: This is a very long chapter. At more than 6035 words, it covers everything including graduation and is the longest chapter of this fiction.
> 
> **Title of this chapter is a Xena reference. Yes, yes it is.

"I got the box, you wanker, I get to decide what gets done with it," Spike argued as he clutched the Box of Gavrok to his chest.

"That's never going to be the way this works, William," Angel replied.

"Spike. It's Spike, and you bloody well know it, Peaches!" Spike growled.

"And my name, as you very well know, is Angel. When you can call me by my name, I will use yours," he replied.

Spike rolled his eyes. "I've called you Peaches since you got your friggin soul, Angel. It's a pet name. A bloody moniker. It's in honor of...you know, past times and deeds and violence and...family," he defended.

Angel's eyebrows raised in a look of surprise. "Be that as it may, the box could be very dangerous. It was on its way to the Mayor. We have to give it to Buffy, or Faith, or Giles. End of story."

Spike sighed. "Yeah, yeah, bloody well, yeah," he replied.

***

**Later That Day**

"What do you mean Miss Chase is missing?" Giles asked as he removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I mean," Xander replied icily, "that we have the Box of Gravlax, or whatever, and Cordelia is now missing. We have the gravlax box, the Mayor knows it, and...poof, no Cordelia. I've tried her house, her favorite hang-outs, the places we meet up, the school, and her job. Nothing."

"Gavrok," Giles explained gently. "Gravlax is a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon, cured in salt, sugar, and dill, which is usually served as an appetizer with a dill and mustard sauce." Giles sighed. "What we have, what Buffy is currently in charge of, is the Box of Gavrok. An ancient ritual used in the effort to reach Ascension. It contains, rumor has it, several spider-like demons that must be consumed by the Mayor, or whomever it is that is looking to reach Ascension."

"I don't need the history lesson, Geeves," Xander said acidly. "I need Cordelia. And she's gone."

"Might I suggest we ask Faith if she knows where Cordelia is?" Wesley asked. "She is, after all, our spy."

"Yeah, if that's even the word for it anymore," Xander muttered.

***

**That Night. At The School.**

"The whole place is locked down, except for the front," Oz said softly.

"Yeah, it gives me that comforting trapped feeling," Xander replied.

Willow nodded and pressed her back to the wall. "This just feels so creepy. Plus, it's Faith, guys....don't you think this is part of the grand plan?"

"I don't know and I don't care," Buffy commented. "One way out means one way in. I want to see them coming."

As the lights went out, Tara gave a slight squeak and edged closer to Willow and Oz.

"Guess they're shy or something," Xander said.

"I can see just fine," Angel said.

"Me too," Oz commented.

"Yep. Us supernatural beings, we're seeing just dandy," Spike drawled.

The front doors to the cafeteria opened and several vampires, the Mayor, Faith and Cordelia entered. Faith was holding a knife to Cordy's throat.

"Well, this is exciting, isn't it?" the Mayor said as he gave a slight laugh. "Clandestine meetings by dark of night. Exchange of prisoners. I just...I feel like we should all be wearing trench coats."

"Let Cordelia go," Xander said roughly as he stepped forward.

Buffy stepped in front of him. 

"No. Not until the box is in my hands. So this is the group that's been causing me all this trouble," the Mayor replied. His gaze swept over Angel, Oz and Willow. "He's pretty, Angel. Not sure he was worth all the trouble my Faith says has been caused. And Buffy? Well, she's cute. A little skinny. Not sure what you were thinking there."

Angel frowned and looked over at Oz. "Why is he talking to me?" he asked.

Oz shrugged casually, but the wolf flickered in his eyes.

"Oh, well, you know..." the Mayor confided. "We tried to take your soul away, earlier. Last week, I think it was? Didn't work, of course, you're far too tied to the wolf and the witch."

"Let's just get this done," Buffy said. "The Box for the girl, and all that."

"Now, now...no rush. Really," the Mayor replied. He looked back at Angel. "Well, I wish you kids the best, I really do. But if you don't mind a bit of fatherly advice, I, uh, I-I just don't see much of a future for you with these two. You and Buffy or you and Oz. It just doesn't have the ring of truth. I don't sense a lasting relationship. And not just because I plan to kill you. You all have a very bumpy road ahead."

Angel rolled his eyes.

Oz growled.

Willow sighed.

Buffy made a slightly strangled noise, then said, "I really don't think we need to talk about this. And, furthermore, I don't think Angel needs whatever so-called advice you've got stored up."

"God, you kids, you know. You don't like to think about the future. You don't like to make plans. Unless you want Faith to gut your friend like a sea bass, show a little respect for your elders," the Mayor replied.

"You're not my elder. I've got a lotta years on you," Angel said.

"Yeah, and that's just one of the things you're going to have to deal with. You're immortal, and not many people are. He may be a werewolf, but they age and die. She's just some simple witch, if you choose her, she'll age and die too. And Buffy, well, Buffy's a Slayer. Death is her gift," the Mayor said. 

"Now, I married my Edna May in 1903 and I was with her right until the end," he continued. "Not a pretty picture. Wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth. Wasn't our happiest time. And let's not forget the fact that in a very real sense, you're a different species, Angel, from everyone involved. Vampire, Slayer. Vampire, Witch. Vampire, Werewolf. I mean, come on. What kind of a life can you offer...you know...anyone? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing. I see skulking in the shadows, hiding from the sun. These are blossoming young people and you want to keep whomever from the life they should rightly have until it has passed them by! My God! I think that's a little selfish. Is that what you came back from Hell for? Is that your greater purpose?" 

The Mayor stared hard at Angel for a moment and then shook his head in disgust. He nodded to Faith. "Make the trade, my girl," he finished.

Faith nodded and stepped forward with Cordelia. As she shoved Cordelia in the direction of Buffy, she grabbed the Box of Gavrok and then spun around to follow the Mayor, and his minions, out the doors.

The lights flashed back on moments later.

***

"It was just an act," Cordelia said. "See, I'm not even nicked. Faith had to convincingly get the Box back, and everything. I agreed to go along, Xander. She needed someone that was part of the group, someone cared about, but not someone with enough power on their own to break free. That's me, you know. Or you. But...everyone else? They've got their own superpowers."

"I get it, Cordy. But couldn't you have clued us in?" Xander asked. His voice was exasperated, but edging towards hurt.

"Your reactions had to be real," Cordelia explained. "And they were. You should have seen your faces!"

"Alright. So....isn't it time to take Faith out of the plan?" Buffy asked anxiously. "I mean...we know everything there is to know. We've got the most relevant chapters of the Ascension books, we know about the Gavrok ritual, we know the day the Ascension will take place...I mean, we might miss graduation if it happened before it..."

Willow laughed humorlessly. "We won't miss graduation," she replied. "But, I agree...we should get Faith out."

"Why won't we miss graduation?" Xander asked.

Willow looked around the room. "Really? No one knows?"

Giles removed his glasses. "I apologize, I forgot to pass along the notice." He cleared his throat. "Mayor Wilkins is the commencement speaker for your graduation ceremony. He will go on right after the valedictorian, and he will help pass out diplomas."

"No way!" Xander exclaimed.

"Okay...so none of us are getting out alive," Cordelia commented.

"Uh. So. The Ascension is happening _at_ graduation?" Buffy asked.

"Which brings me to my bit of magical news," Willow said. "I've got...something for Angel and Spike. Something that'll make it possible for them to be out in the daytime. It's temporary, and won't work for more than a few hours, but at least it'll help during the battle."

"Uh uh. No. You are not giving Spike something that'll make it easy for him to go around murdering people in the day!" Buffy cried.

"I too must advise against this, Willow," Giles said.

"I think it's a misguided idea for both vampires, not just William the Bloody," Wesley added.

"Listen, this isn't negotiable. We need them both in the fight, and we have no way of knowing whether or not it'll be sunny and bright, or a gloomy whirl of apocalypse eclipse," Willow argued. "So, yeah. I'm giving them each a bracelet. And for the second time, it's temporary. It'll only work for a handful of hours!"

"Okay, okay, enough arguing. We need to work together or we'll get nothing accomplished," Angel said gently. "Now, Spike and I are going to be in this fight, and we need a way to be protected from the sunlight. Spike understands that this is temporary magicks, and as such, he's not inclined to trust it overly much, but he'll wear the cuff regardless -- during the fight. Now...I think Willow and Buffy make an excellent point. It's time to get Faith out of this."

****

**The Next Morning.**

"And everything went smoothly with Mr. Wirth?" the Mayor asked as he tidied up the apartment he'd purchased for Faith.

From behind the bathroom door, Faith chuckled. "Not if you're Mr. Wirth," she replied.

"Well, that's swell. You know how I feel about loose ends. And the big day is so close, you can smell the excitement in the air. Say, are you ever coming out of there?" Mayor Wilkins asked.

"I'm not sure," Faith called. "This isn't really me."

"Aw, come on," the Mayor pleaded. "You looked a vision in your prom dress, I've got the pictures to prove it."

Faith laughed and opened the door. She walked out in a simple summer dress with a white background and a pattern of little pink flowers on it. Her feet were bare. "I feel stupid like this," she said.

"You look lovely. Perfect for the Ascension. Any boys or girls that manage to survive will be lining up to ask you out, Faith," he replied.

Faith sighed. "Okay. But...it really isn't me, though. I mean...it's so...girly. I like a dress now and then...but the flowers?"

"Blossoms for a blossoming girl," the Mayor replied. "It's not you? Let me tell you something. Nobody knows what you are. Not even you, little Miss Seen-it-all. The Ascension isn't just my day. It's yours too. Your day to blossom, to show the world what a powerful girl you are. I think of what you've done, what I know you will do...no father could be prouder." He leaned forward and lightly brushed her face in a gesture of affection.

"I hope I don't let you down," Faith whispered.

"Impossible," he responded. "Now come on, change back into your street clothes. I'll buy you an icee."

Faith laughed and headed back into the bathroom.

****

**Later That Day.**

"The beast will walk upon the earth and darkness will follow. The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction," Buffy read aloud from one of the texts they'd been using to read up on the Ascension.

"Aw, that's kind of sweet. Different races coming together," Mayor Wilkins said as he entered the library. "I'm here, just checking on some things for the graduation ceremony. Thought I'd stop by, see how things are, chat a bit."

"You never get even a little tired of hearing yourself speak, do you?" Buffy asked him as she stood up.

Mayor Wilkins laughed and looked at Giles. "That's one spunky little girl you've raised. I'm gonna eat her," he taunted.

Giles lunged forward and, grabbing Wesley's sword from the table, he thrust it, with full strength, through the Mayor's chest.

The Mayor staggered back but regained his balance an instant later. He pulled the sword out of his chest and cleaned it diligently with a handkerchief. "Whoa! Well now, that was a little thoughtless. Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children? You know, Mr. Giles, they look to you to see how to behave," he admonished.

"Get out," Buffy said quietly.

"I smell fear. That's smart. Some of your deaths will be quick, if that's worth anything. Well, see you all at graduation. You don't want to miss my commencement address. It's going to be one heck of a speech," the Mayor said as he waltzed back through the library doors.

Buffy exchanged a solemn look with Giles. 

****

**That Night**

Willow paced the Mansion's living room. Back and forth she walked, wringing her hands. Her magicks thrummed underneath her skin. Her eyes were nearly black, the roots of her hair had turned black as well.

"Willow, calm down. Getting this worked up before tomorrow...it isn't good," Angel commented.

"Oz is down in the basement practicing with weapons, practicing turning parts of his body into the wolf so that he'll not be at all defenseless. You're sitting there, on the floor, meditating, and I...I can't breathe!" she exclaimed. "I want to help, so badly, but...I don't know how! The mayor is going to turn into some raging, slimy, scaly, great, giant snake and...I don't know what to do or how to stop it! I have all this magick, why can't I just go....poof! And it stops!"

Angel stood up quickly and grabbed her shoulders. He pulled her into a deep kiss. His lips crushed hers, his arms wrapped around her body, molding her body to his. 

Willow gasped and, for a moment, struggled against it. They'd never kissed before. Sure, they'd cuddled and hugged, and he had a habit of pressing his nose into her neck, or her hair, but they'd never kissed. She'd never been on fire under his hands, though she'd wondered, a time or two, what it would be like. She moaned.

Angel pulled back and blinked slowly at her for a moment. "How long do you think that's been in there?" he asked as he gently touched her face.

"A while," she responded as she leaned towards him.

From the courtyard staircase, the arrow came through the open courtyard doors. It slammed through Angel's shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise as he fell to the floor.

"Oz, come quick!" Willow yelled as she whirled around to look out into the courtyard.

Faith stood on the stairs, a vampire stood next to her. 

"You missed the heart," the vampire commented.

"Meant to," Faith replied as she lowered the bow. As they fled, she glanced meaningfully at Willow.

Willow frowned. What in the name of Merlin was going on?

Oz raced into the room. "What?" he cried. "What is it?"

"Angel, something's wrong with Angel!" Willow exclaimed.

Oz grabbed the arrow with a fur-covered hand from where it lay on the floor. Carefully he brought the tip to his nose and sniffed. He threw the arrow on the floor. "Is this...did this hit him?" he asked.

Willow nodded.

"It's tipped with poison," Oz growled.

****

"A very large carcass of what appears to be a great snake, was buried by a volcanic eruption in Hawaii," Wesley read. "Mr. Wirth seems to have come by this information on a dig he was on, which would explain why he ended up dead. Do you think Faith is aware that he is related to the Mayor's Ascension, or that he ended up dead?"

"I don't really care what Faith is aware of, at this point," Buffy replied. "I mean, we've been trying to get her out for the last two days. She's not budging. And I can't help but wonder why."

"Wait, you're saying that this is information the Mayor does not want getting out?" Giles asked.

"It would seem that way, yes," Wesley replied.

"If it's the same kind of demon he's turning into and it's dead," Giles explained, "Then that means that Mayor Wilkins is only impervious to harm until the Ascension. In his demon form, he can be killed."

Buffy's eyes widened. "So all we need is a million tons of burning lava, and we're saved?"

"Well, it's certainly a start," Wesley replied.

As the phone rang in Giles' office, he went to answer that. "Yes?" he said into the phone.

Buffy heard him take in a breath and say, "Are you sure?" before Giles raced out to them.

"Angel has been poisoned," Giles said a little breathlessly. "It looks very serious. Willow and Oz need all hands on deck about it."

"Oh my god. What kind of poison is it? Is he going to be okay?" Buffy asked.

"They have no idea. And what is worse...Faith shot him with the poisoned arrow. It seems we may have a rogue slayer on our hands," Giles replied.

Buffy ran from the room.

As Wesley rose to assist, Giles held out a hand. "Wesley, I need you to do something very important for me. I've already begun boxing up my books, but I need you to do the rest and then take them over to my house. It's very important. I think...I might know a way we can defeat the Mayor, but I need everything from my office, and all my books, taken to my house. Do you understand?" he asked.

"Of course, Rupert," Wesley replied and he pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Perhaps some help might be warranted, though?"

"I'll call Xander and Cordelia to help you. I have to go!" Giles exclaimed as he gathered three books from his office and fled the library.

****

The Mayor placed the Box of Gavrok on his desk and tucked a bib into his collar.

Faith rushed in from the hallway. "He's down boss. Worked like a charm."

"Like a potion, in any case, Faith," the Mayor replied. "Applause, applause."

"Er...right. Anyways, it went through his shoulder. He pitches over and Willow starts freaking, looking around, all panicked. It's a good time. She saw me, and George, but, you know....good times," Faith responded.

"Well, that should keep the majority of the little gang occupied for some time," the Mayor said.

"Okay. What's next?" Faith asked.

"The Ritual of Gavrok. I have to ingest several of the inhabitants of this box," he said as he looked distastefully at the box.

"Ingest? You mean like....eat?" she asked.

"Yes, Faith...eat," Mayor Wilkins confirmed.

Faith laughed uncomfortably for a moment. "You're wicked gross," she said.

The Mayor chuckled. "Well, you don't have to watch. Just, you know, go home, take it easy. It's a big day tomorrow," he said.

"You gotta give me something to do. There's no way I'm sleeping. Don't you need anyone dead? Or maimed? I can settle for maimed."

"You little firecracker." Mayor Wilkins readjusted the bib and smiled at Faith. "No, there's really nothing."

"My mom used to call me her little firecracker, sometimes, when I was little. I was always running around," Faith said. 

As Mayor Wilkins looked at her with an expression of concern, Faith smiled.

"Tomorrow, at the Ascension and all that, am I going to get to fight?" she asked.

"If everything goes smoothly, you won't have to. But how often do things go smoothly?" he answered.

"So you'll still need me in there," Faith replied.

"I'll always need you, my Faith," the Mayor responded.

"When I was a kid," Faith began. "A couple of miles outside of Boston there was this quarry. And all the kids used to swim there and jump off the rocks. And there was this one rock like forty feet up. I was the only one that would jump off it. All the older kids were too scared."

"Not you though," the Mayor said kindly.

"Naah. I could do it easy," Faith replied. "Besides...nothing I like better than that rush of adrenaline."

Mayor Wilkins laughed. "Go get some rest, Faith. You'll need it, for tomorrow. After, there'll be plenty to do."

"Good luck with your spiders there," she said as she walked away. 

Out in the hall, she peered back in through the open door. She understood he was evil, and that he'd sold his soul for...whatever. But, she admitted to herself, she was going to miss him. She wished, for a moment, that he'd never started on the path towards Ascension. Maybe if he hadn't, her friends wouldn't have to kill him.

****

Angel laid back against his pillows on his bed. The deep-red curtains were drawn over his windows and a soft breeze played over his skin from a nearby fan. 

"I need some water," he said in a gravely, strained voice.

Oz leaned over and lifted a straw from a glass of water to Angel's lips. "You'll be okay. You're gonna be okay."

On the floor, surrounded by books, Willow flipped fastly through the pages of a tome she held.

**

Out in the living room, Buffy paced.

Spike sat against the fireplace. His back was tense, his shoulders hunched.

Giles rubbed his hands over his face and then put his glasses back on. "It's not Council policy to cure vampires, regardless of their soul, or the help they may have provided the Slayer. Not under any circumstances," he said quietly.

Buffy whirled around. "I just don't understand that, I don't accept it! Try again."

"I can't, Buffy. They were very firm. We're talking about laws that have existed longer than civilization and an organization that...well...is stodgy at best," Giles replied.

"I'm over here, thinking 'bout watching my grand-sire die. I don't have a bloody clue what you all are talking about and I don't care. Find a cure!" Spike growled.

"We'll find a cure, William, we will," Giles said gently. He didn't like Spike, in fact, he hated him. But, Giles was well versed on the ideas of family and coven that reigned in the vampire-world and he understood that Spike was simply scared. Frightened about losing a member of his family.

"F-faith poisoned Angel to distract you, to distract all of us, to keep us out of the M-mayor's way, and it's working. We n-need to focus on our strategy for defeating him," Tara offered quietly.

"I know, Tara. I know. But I can't....I can't just sit by and watch my....my friend die. I can't let it tear Oz and Willow apart. I can't....it can't go down this way," Buffy said as she dropped into one of the chairs.

"I know, Buffy. I understand. But....what good are we to Angel if we can't...band together, now, and defeat the Mayor?" Tara asked.

"You're right, of course, Tara," Giles said. "Now...what I propose..."

***

Back in the bedroom, Willow's eyes filled. She'd found the answer, but...she didn't know what to do about it.

"It's a mystical compound. The Latin name translates roughly to Killer of the Dead. Used solely on vampires," she said softly.

"What's the cure?" Oz asked. 

Willow's voice shook. "The thing that completely reverses the effect of the poison... is to drain the blood of a Slayer."

"Good," Oz growled. "We've got one we can use."

"Oz, no! I'm not sure why Faith did this, but....she hasn't turned. I promise! There must be some explanation..." Willow said earnestly.

"Maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. I don't care," Oz replied.

"Angel needs to drain a Slayer, then we'll bring him one. " Oz rose from the bed. "You take care of Angel. I'll get Buffy. She'll want in on this," he said simply.

Willow's eyes were wide with grief and pain, but she nodded. "Oz," she whispered. "If Angel drains Faith's blood, it'll kill her."

Oz's eyes took on a steely look. His face shut down. "Not if she's already dead," he replied as he left.

A few moments later, Giles appeared in the doorway. "Oz and Buffy went to...get Faith. Spike would like to come in and sit with Angel, if that's alright with you," he said softly.

Willow nodded.

Spike entered and lowered himself gracefully to the bed. "Now, Peaches, you're gonna be fine, you hear? There's nothing wrong with you that Red here, or Buffy, or the Wolf can't fix. Bloody hell, even Rupes is up to charging in to save you. So stop being all damsel in distress and come back to us," he said to Angel.

****

Oz and Buffy burst into Faith's apartment, breaking the door down.

Faith jumped up from where she'd been reading a comic book on the bed. "It's about damn time!" she exclaimed. "Come on, let's make it look really good and get me out of here."

"It's going to look real good, Faith," Oz replied. Wolf eyes and wolf claws shined as he stepped towards her.

Faith held up her hands in a gesture of peace. "Listen, you need me. You need my blood. He's dead without me. But, we need to make it look like a bloody, difficult fight or the Mayor will never believe it."

"He's going to believe it. We're not here to take you quietly," Buffy responded. 

Faith grabbed her knife on the bedside table and held it out to Buffy. "You want to kill me? Go ahead. I was just playing my part," she argued.

Buffy grabbed the knife and swung around. She kicked out, her foot landing against Faith's stomach and sending her flying. "You might have been, yeah. But I'm not, and I came to kick some ass and, you know, not take any names," she quipped.

Oz growled. "Let's just grab her. We can take her to Angel, the both of us. We'll tie her up and feed her to him," he said.

They advanced on Faith.

****

**Later That Night**

The Mayor looked around at the destruction of Faith's apartment. 

"She's not here, sir," George commented.

"No. No, she took the fight outside," the Mayor said softly. "My Faith doesn't like to be cooped up." He walked over to George. "We have to find them. Put everyone on it. Do it now."

"But Sir, the ascension…" George said.

The Mayor turned cold eyes on George and smiled unkindly. "Finding them is all that matters right this moment," he explained. "So, find Faith!"

George turned to the other vampires in the room and nodded. They raced from the apartment.

"Faith's a good girl. She can take anything they'll throw at her. She's going to be all right. She'll be all right. She'll be all right," the Mayor muttered to himself.

****

Angel moaned and lifted a hand, slowly, to rub his eyes. After, he looked around the room.

Willow sat on one side of his bed, Spike on the other.

"You've been watching over me?" he asked Spike in a whisper.

"Sure," Spike replied.

Angel reached out a hand and grasped Spike's hand with his. "Spike...I've missed you," Angel said shakily. "Oh my William..."

Willow's eyes widened, but she held back a comment and reached for Angel's other hand. She squeezed his hand gently in a show of support.

"Hush, hush now, Peaches," Spike crooned. "Oz and Buffy will be back soon."

***

**The Early Dawn Hours**

Oz and Buffy carried an unconscious Faith into Angel's room.

Willow and Spike scrambled off the bed.

"She was just playing a part," Oz said bitterly. 

"We need her blood anyway. Angel needs her blood," Buffy responded as they laid Faith down next to Angel. Buffy lifted Faith's knife.

"What are you going to do?" Willow asked.

"I dunno," Buffy replied. "Thought I might carve her open with her own knife and then let Angel drink his fill. What do you think, Oz?"

Oz flinched and his facial features twitched back into human. "I think maybe we should just let him bite."

"Too weak," Spike replied. "So, hand me the damn knife, and I'll cut her open myself. He's fading. Going fast."

Buffy snorted. "Who'd have thought you'd care?" she asked snidely.

"S-stop...fighting," Tara said from the doorway. "He needs the bl-blood now, so...a thin slice along her shoulder will do."

"We'll leave, now. We've got things to see to. A plan is underway. Get him well," Giles said as he gestured to Spike and Tara.

As they left, Buffy turned to Faith. She raised the knife again and this time, slid it along Faith's left shoulder until blood welled up and burst out of the long, jagged cut.

Angel's eyes flickered open. "Faith?" he croaked.

"Just what the doctor ordered," Buffy quipped.

****

**That Morning**

Mayor Wilkins stared at Faith as she lay in the hospital bed. She was pale and there was severe bruising breaking out along all the skin he could see. "What did she do to you?" the Mayor whispered.

"The bones are set, and the damage to the kidneys is repairable," Doctor Moss explained. "But the head trauma and blood loss is....severe. You know, it’s a wonder she's alive at all, with the blood loss. I am sorry sir. We'll tend her and make her as comfortable as possible, but I'm not certain she'll regain consciousness."

Mayor Wilkins nodded and reached a hand towards Faith. He gently brushed her hair from her forehead and stroked her cheek. "It's your day," he murmured.

Willow, Angel, Oz and Buffy looked into the room from the hallway.

"He really cared for her," Willow said sadly.

The Mayor turned around sharply. "You!" he cried and raced forward. "Murderous little fiends! Do you see what was done to my Faith?" 

"You're going to want to step back now, Mr. Mayor," Willow replied.

"Hadn't any plans to weep over Faith," Oz said coldly.

"Well, I'd get set for some weeping if I were you. The three of you," the Mayor said as he pointed at Buffy, Oz and Willow. "Have saved your precious vampire for nothing! I'd get set for a _world_ of pain! Misery loves company," the Mayor said to Angel. "And I'm looking to share that with you and your mongrel!"

The Mayor turned on his heel and marched out of the hospital.

"Come on," Buffy said. "We could all use some rest before the big day today."

****

**That Afternoon**

Buffy thrashed for a moment in her sleep. The house was empty and too quiet; her mom had gone to stay with her sister, Buffy's aunt, for a few days. Buffy had pleaded with her to go, she couldn't have concentrated on the fight while worrying about her mom, and Joyce had complied.

Completely asleep, Buffy's brain drifted.

Cardboard boxes were stacked everywhere around Faith's apartment. As Buffy stopped near the bed, she waited a moment to watch a cat jump up on top of the dresser.

"Who's going to look after him?" Buffy asked.

"It's a she," Faith said. "And aren't these things supposed to take care of themselves?" She walked up behind Buffy.

"A higher power guiding us?" 

Faith looked hard at Buffy, then turned away. "I'm pretty sure that's not what I meant." 

"There's something I'm supposed to be doing," Buffy said as she looked down at the floor.

"Oh yeah. - Miles to go - Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0." 

Buffy grimaced. "Great. - Riddles. Because riddles are all I need," she said.

Faith crossed to the window and stared out. "Sorry, it's my head. A lot of new stuff. New stuff coming for me. For you." 

After giving Faith a half-smile, Buffy walked over to the window to stand behind her.

"They are never going to fix this, are they?" Faith asked.

"What about you?" Buffy asked, her face creased in concern.

Faith leaned back into Buffy. "Scar tissue," she said. "It fades. It all fades." 

Buffy nodded. "Still..." she trailed off.

"You want to know the deal? Human weakness - never goes away. Not even his," Faith offered.

"Is this your mind or mine?" Buffy asked. She laughed for a moment as Faith turned around.

"Beats me," Faith replied as she gave a little laugh in return. "Getting towards that time." 

Buffy looked around the room. "How are you going to get rid of all this stuff? Where's it gonna fit?" she asked.

"I'm not gonna," Faith responded. "Most of it isn't mine anyway. My home's in the house with Anya and Tara. This stuff? It's yours." 

"I can't use all of this!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Just take what you need," Faith said as she brushed her fingers over Buffy's cheek in an affectionate gesture. "You ready?" 

Buffy nodded and pressed her lips gently to Faith's.

There was a flash of white light and Buffy woke up.

****

**A Few Hours Later - Graduation Day**

"Are we all ready?" Buffy asked.

"For what?" Xander replied.

"For war," Buffy responded.

Every member of the Scooby gang nodded.

****

**Later That Night**

Willow, Oz, Buffy, Cordelia, Xander and Giles stood facing the wreckage of the school.

"Did Spike and Angel make it through okay?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. Tara too. Spike, as far as I know, headed off to go get his girl back, and Angel's back at the Mansion," Willow replied.

"I'm quite happy that Tara helped in the fight," Giles commented. "Her magic was indispensable."

"Yeah, she seemed pretty pleased with herself, honestly. It was kinda cute," Willow said. "That was some fight."

Oz nodded.

Cordelia yawned.

"I know, right?" Xander asked. "I could sleep for a week."

"The school is totalled. Destroyed," Buffy commented.

"And the Mayor is dead," Giles said.

"You guys want to take off? I think we've done pretty much all we can," Buffy said.

"Now, not so fast," Giles said as he handed each of them a rolled scroll. "I did save these from the wreckage, after all."

As Giles handed each of them their diploma, he smiled. " Now, it may not interest you, but…I'd say you earned them."

Buffy gave Giles a brief hug.

"We survived," Oz said softly.

"It was a hell of a battle!" Xander exclaimed.

Oz raised an eyebrow. "Not the battle. High School," he said.

Cordelia nodded and then leaned into Xander. "A week of sleep, may be a good idea, Xand," she said quietly.

"Let's take a moment," Oz said. "To appreciate what we survived, and that which was High School."

The gang looked back at the burning building. There was a moment of silence.

"Well, School's done," Xander said.

"And, we're done," Oz said. He gave a short laugh.

"Why do demons even come here anymore?" Willow asked. "I mean, don't they know..."

 

****************************

TBC


	20. Goodbye Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We pick up one month after High School graduation.  
> How the gang is going to move on from here.
> 
> From here, we throw out canon almost entirely -- especially if I were to continue this fic.
> 
> Short epilogue.
> 
> You'll notice a lack of Oz. He's around, just doing his own thing and doesn't feel a need to get maudlin with the others. Like Angel, you know?

**One Month Later.**

"Willow has hired a cleaning service, and it is extremely important that you, under no circumstances, eat anyone on the cleaning crew. You are also not to bed anyone on the cleaning crew. Do you understand, Spike? Additionally, you are not to have hordes of vampires over, no violent parties that break the valuables, and absolutely no Drusilla!" Angel exclaimed. "Those are the rules for allowing you to live here, rent free. If you cannot abide by these terms, then you will have to find somewhere else to stay."

"Listen, Peaches, we played the grand-sire bond angle as far as we could. You don't own me. You need me to keep an eye on the place, to let the cleaning service in when they show, and to, in general, make it seem like this isn't a big, empty ole house," Spike replied. 

Spike ticked off his fingers as he continued, "One, I wouldn't have Drusilla back now even if she begged. Two, I'm gonna bed whoever I like, and that includes anyone on your stuffy cleaning crew. Three, I need the cleaning crew to come in and do the dirty work, so I give my word I won't go 'round eatin' them. Four, I haven't got any horde of vampire friends, and I can't invite them in anyway since Willow owns the home. So, that was a waste of words, if you ask me. Finally, five, I'll party if I want to, but I won't break your damn stuff, again...you've my word on that. What fun would livin' here be if I bloody well break everything?"

Angel nodded. "I will agree to those terms. You have the account card for the funds set up in your name?"

"'Course I do. 'M not stupid, Peaches. I'll need things, and it's down right...familial of Willow to set up an account for me so's I don't go without things I need. And since there's no Slayer at present, and there'll be no you...I can go back to feeding as I like to do," Spike responded.

"But not killing," Angel supplied.

"No, 'course not. Humans are not as much fun when you go 'round killin' them all," Spike said.

Angel settled back against the armchair. It was one month later, and he, Willow and Oz would be leaving tomorrow for England. They were taking a 5 and a half hour flight from LAX to JFK, then spending the evening in New York at Willow's apartment before taking a 7-hour night flight from JFK to Heathrow. Because of Willow's magick invention of the black cuff that Angel wore, he'd be able to go with them on both plane flights.

She'd worked out the kink in the cuffs - he and Spike both wore a black cuff, him around his right wrist, Spike's around his left - that enabled them to go out in sunlight. They could wear the cuffs for about a month before their power needed to be recharged. According to Willow, she'd taught Tara the potion and spell to recharge the cuffs so that Tara could recharge Spike's when it was needed.

They were, all three of them, packed and ready to go. He knew Oz was anxious to be gone because it was achingly near the full moon - so much so, that Oz had nearly begged off going to Europe in favor of staying in Sunnydale. He understood that Willow would have felt better if their trip could be put off until later in the summer, but it just couldn't -- they needed the time, in England, before Willow started classes.

There was only one real hitch in the plan to go to London early. Faith still wasn't awake. The doctors had hope that she would wake up eventually, but as it stood...she was in a coma in a long-term care facility. When it looked like she wouldn't wake after graduation, Willow had removed Faith from the hospital and enrolled her in the care-facility.

When Spike rose to head up to his room, Angel continued to sit and ponder the coming months.

***

"You can come visit any time," Willow said gently as she held Faith's hand. "I'll send you the ticket, and you can just hop on a plane and come stay in the apartment in London. We're going this early, Oz, Angel and I, because we can't live in the London apartment and have me attend Oxford -- it's just a little too far away for both Oz and Angel's comfort. We're going to look for a house in Woodstock. It's only about twenty minutes from Oxford, so it'll be better than the apartment in London - especially with the various transit options. I'm going to look into renters for one of the two bedrooms in the London apartment. I don't want it to just sit empty. As a matter of fact, Faith, I think I'll look for renters for every house or apartment my parents had. Or just sell most of them and be done with it."

There was a light tapping on the door that interrupted Willow's ramble. Tara poked her head in.

"Willow, honey? We've got to go. We're meeting Mr. Giles, Joyce and everyone else at the Magick Box, before we head to the airport, remember?" she said softly.

"Okay, thanks for reminding me," Willow said. "Is your grandmother doing any better today?" Instead of waiting for an answer, Willow turned back to Faith. "Tara and I are meeting everyone at the Magick Box. Giles has some kind of surprise for us, or something. Plus, it's Cordelia's last day in Sunnydale, and Xander's heading out on his one-man tour of the surrounding states too. I'll come and say goodbye, tomorrow, before we leave."

As they walked down the hallway towards the elevators, Willow sighed. "I'm sorry, Tara. I asked you about your grandmother and never listened to the reply."

"She's doing fine. The same as always, mostly. But, the new meds they have her on, well....it's improving her quality of life, certainly," Tara replied.

"Did she ask about your mom again?" Willow asked anxiously as they rode the elevator down to the first floor.

"She mostly always does," Tara said quietly. "She can't remember...or seem to hold on to the fact that mom d-died nearly three years ago."

Willow rubbed a hand down Tara's back in a comforting gesture.

***

The group was gathered, sitting, at a large round table behind a bookshelf on the left side of the shop. Giles rose when Willow and Tara entered and then locked the front door behind them.

He clapped his hands. "As you are aware, I am no longer a watcher for the Council. Buffy is of-age and as such, no longer requires a watcher. Though I do intend to be there for her, in Cleveland, if ever she needs me. However, I do need some form of income and some way to keep busy while living in Sunnydale. I'd rather not return to England just now - especially not with Faith still in a coma and before college has started for all of you," Giles said. 

"What gives, Geeves?" Xander asked. "Quit the ramble and just tell us. Some of us have places to go." He eyed Cordelia briefly.

Giles rolled his eyes. "I realize that Xander. Many of us wish to get our goodbyes in - though, and it pains me to say, you may not be aware of that." Giles sighed. "In any case. I have purchased this shop and intend its grand opening to follow on Labor Day. I will need that much time to get it in order, and do a few projects around it as well," he said. "Well, what do you all think?"

"I think that's great, Giles," Willow said happily.

"Well, yeah, unless you consider that all of the previous owners have died," Anya mentioned.

"I know, right!?" Cordelia said. "I mean, it's great. You'll run a shop, and at least you'll be good at running a magic shop. But, you really risk an ugly death here, Giles."

"I think it's wonderful. I mean, I don't understand what any of these things are for, and mostly, magic seems sort of frightening to me," Joyce commented. "But...I do think it holds merit to be a shopkeeper, Rupert. You'll have an income, and many things to do, and you'll get to call your own hours. I have a similar thing going at the Gallery, and I love it."

"It's great, Mr. Giles," Tara said softly. "And the Sc-scoobies will have a truly appropriate place to hold their meetings as well."

"You're a Scooby, Tara!" Anya said. "And since it's just you, me, Spike, Xander and Wesley until Faith wakes up....we're the Scooby gang now!"

"Uh hem," Wesley said. He blinked owlishly for a moment. "I will not be here. As it happens...I was sacked."

"They fired you?" Cordelia asked outraged.

"Yes. Failure to accomplish my goals or to live up to expectations. Complete failure to control the Slayer I was in charge of. Etcetera," Wesley replied. "I'm not certain where I'll end up, of course, but...I will be moving."

"You are welcome to stay in my guest room, Wesley, and help me out around the shop," Giles said fondly.

"I think not. No, I think I must move on and use what I have learned....elsewhere in the world," Wesley responded.

"Ah. Well," Giles said before he turned to look at Xander. "Well, Xander, you had somewhere to be, didn't you?"

Xander colored slightly. "I've got to get going or I'll never make it to Arizona. I want to see the Grand Canyon first, then decide from there where else I'm headed, before I come back and take up being a college freshman."

"You decided to live in the dorms, right?" Anya asked.

"Yeah. I paid out the rest of your lease though, Ahn," Xander replied.

Anya grinned. "Thanks! I hadn't yet figured out what I was going to do. I don't have any money right now, or any clients..." she trailed off and looked around the shop. "You!" she exclaimed as she pointed to Giles.

"Me, what?" he asked.

"You need someone to handle your money! You'll make a ton of money, and you'll need someone brilliant, like me, and someone who is sticking around Sunnydale, also like me, to help you keep your money, pay your bills and make you more money!" she exclaimed.

Giles gave a long-winded sigh. "Yes," he said finally. "I suppose I will."

"Not to change the subject or anything..." Willow said with a laugh. "But...is Buffy doing okay in England? I mean...is everything going alright...and...can we visit her once we get over there?"

"Buffy's doing fine in England," Joyce replied, interrupting Giles' attempt to speak. "She's already sent two postcards. It seems to be working out for her, the program there. She'll be back in August, and head pretty much immediately to Cleveland. I might go over, to England, for Family Weekend, just to get some time with her before she heads to college. It's so far away."

"Er. You may be able to visit her, Willow, but it would be a during-visiting-hours sort of event," Giles said. "I will put together the information and...." He peered over at Anya. "And I will have Anya email it to you."

"Great. Okay. Well. Tara, Anya...we've got to get going if we're gonna make it on time," Willow said as she jingled the car keys in her hand.

Tara smiled shyly and Anya bounced on the balls of her feet.

"It was good to know you, Wesley and Cordelia!" Anya said politely.

"I liked g-getting to k-know you all," Tara said. "Xander, I can h-help you during your first few weeks, if you need it, just...come by the house after semester has started."

"You know, Tara, I never did ask...what are you majoring in, anyway?" Xander asked.

Tara blinked. It occurred to her that besides being friends with Willow, Faith and Anya, the rest of the group didn't know much about her. "Religious Studies, both contemporary and ancient," she replied softly. "UC Sunnydale actually has some of the most exciting occult programs in the nation."

Xander grinned at Tara for a moment, then lunged forward and grabbed Willow around the waist. He gave Willow a good squeeze, then turned his hugging affections on both Anya and Tara.

Cordelia looked at Xander with longing for a moment, then waved goodbye in one fell-swoop and walked outside. Xander followed soon after her.

"I hope they're saying goodbye to each other," Willow said as she, Tara and Anya headed for the door.

"Willow?" Giles asked quietly. 

Willow spun around. "Yeah?" she asked.

"You and Oz will say a proper goodbye tomorrow, yes?" he asked.

Willow's eyes sparkled for a moment with unshed tears. "Of course we will, Giles," she replied.

They left quickly after that. Wesley to go pack and close up his apartment, Joyce to head back to the Gallery, and Willow, Tara and Anya got in Willow's car to head to the airport.

****

Willow, Tara and Anya stood at the end of a long corridor in the airport.

"I can't believe going up to the gate isn't possible. How will we know who she is?" Anya asked acidly.

"Uh, Anya...I think it'll be pretty obvious," Willow replied.

"Yeah. I mean...how many people really take a flight from LAX to Sunnydale airport?" Tara asked as she fidgeted slightly with her purse strap.

Willow drummed her fingers on her thigh for a moment and looked up when the loud-speakers announced that the plane from Los Angeles had landed. "Here we go," she muttered. She looked at Anya. "You're all moved into the attic apartment?"

"For the hundredth time, yes. And Tara is moved into what was my room, and Faith is all moved back into the guest suite since it was her favorite anyway, and your room is all done up as requested, we even dead-bolted your patio doors. Tara put a sneaky spell on them and everything!" Anya said. Her voice was exasperated, but not angry.

Willow grinned and poked her gently, affectionately, in the side.

Tara reached over and squeezed Willow's shoulder. "There she is," she said quietly.

They all looked up as a very stylish, slim girl with long, thick, dark hair walked down the corridor towards them.

"Well, well," Anya commented. "You didn't say they were sisters for nothing." She held her sign higher.

Her sign read:  
**Dawn Lehane, Welcome to Sunnydale.**

 

*********************************************

 

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.....that's it folks. The end of Finding North.  
> I hope you enjoyed it. :)  
> It might, just might, continue on in a sequel fic, but....we'll see.
> 
> So...in case you wondered:  
> Wesley moves to LA. He eventually teams up with Cordy and Doyle and Gunn to form Pryce Chase Investigations.
> 
> And, fyi. There are 730 hours, on average, in one month.

**Author's Note:**

> BTVS is owned by Warner Brothers, Mutant Enemy Productions, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Television and others. I have not now, nor ever, been involved in any of that.  
> Additionally, no harm is intended and no money is being made.  
> This is a work for entertainment purposes only and should feel/be in line with the laws about transformative fanworks.
> 
>  
> 
> Some info taken from:  
> http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/protection-stones/


End file.
